


Kingdom Hearts: Sins of the Past

by PrinceofSpaceGays5



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Academy setting, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dubious Consent, Everyone Is Gay, Gay Romance, Gay Sex, Gay poly romance, Human Sacrifice, Light is bad, M/M, Multi, Multiple Worlds, Post Kingdom Hearts 4, Post-Kingdom Hearts III, Real sex scenes, Realm of Darkness (Kingdom Hearts), Realm of Sleep (Kingdom Hearts), Reincarnation, Seven Deadly Sins, almost everyone is gay, darkness is good, male relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:28:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 117,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23252476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrinceofSpaceGays5/pseuds/PrinceofSpaceGays5
Summary: A hundred years passed since Sora battled against the Master of Masters and his apprentices. And in the wake of their defeat, Sora and company create the Order of Aurelius dedicated to protecting the light and training future Keyblade Wielders.In the present, Luciano and his classmates take a step further to becoming Keyblade Masters as the Order faces oppositions from two factions of Keyblade Wielders: the Proteas and the Harlequins. As a new war between light and darkness begins, Luciano and his companions must face the ancient past that they are connected to in order to save the present from destruction.How are Luciano and his companions' connected to the Master of Masters and his apprentices?  And do they have what it takes to prevent a new Keyblade War? Or will light and darkness finally consume one another?
Relationships: male oc/male oc/male oc
Kudos: 7





	1. Mark of the Wielder

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy! Welcome to this new story that I'm working alongside my longtime writing partner, HubrisP. We hope you enjoy the chaos in this potential future. 
> 
> We're working with the assumption that the next round of KH games focuses on Sora's conflict against the Master of Masters, Luxu, and the Foretellers. We're also built this story on the assumption that Sora comes out victorious. We will talk about Sora's journey in later chapters since the story basically takes place a hundred years after Sora dies.
> 
> I'll leave it at that and say give it a read, and leave behind some kudos and comments!

_Fires burned at Santa Cecilia._

_Screams echoed across a tiny village as the Heartless swarmed. People fought in vain to defeat the Shadows and Neoshadows that killed everything in sight. Young and old alike fell as the shadows ripped their hearts from their bodies, plunging the innocent into eternal darkness._

_People fled to the hills where they thought they could escape the Heartless, but the Heartless continued their pursuit. Only a few people managed to escape, whereas the rest died._

_No one understood where the Heartless came from or why they chose to attack their insignificant world. However, there was little that they could do without Keyblade Wielders or true warriors._

_Amidst the chaos, a bronze-skinned, young man ran towards his house as it burned. His clothes were a torn mess from the running and scrapes he got into with the Heartless. He carried with him a wooden pole that hardly did anything for protection other than swatting the Heartless across the face._

_“Momma! Momma!” His voice became hoarse as he screamed at the very top of his lungs. He disregarded his safety as he instead searched frantically from his mother._

_“Run, Luciano!”_

_Luciano gasped. He ran into the former living room as a burning beam collapsed to block his way forward. He could see over the beam to discover the Heartless surrounding his mother. He screamed for her to run, but it was pointless._

_The Heartless swarmed her and tore out her heart._

_“Momma!” Luciano’s emerald-colored eyes widened with tears pouring forth._

_The Shadows and Neoshadows turned to Luciano. Their pitch-black bodies slithered to the ground, chasing after him as he started to run._

_Luciano made it outside when the Heartless arose and lunged after him. He screamed._

“Enough, Lucio!”

A hard punch to the shoulder knocked Luciano awake.

The vision of Santa Cecilia’s fall was a nightmare. A horrid memory that haunted Luciano for over three years now, and one he wished he could bring himself to forget.

Luciano rubbed the new bruise forming on his shoulder. “What did you do that for, Thomas?”

“You were disturbing my nap.” Thomas glared at Luciano with his dark-brown eyes.

Standing over Luciano’s bed was his roommate, Thomas. They were quite a pair with the only similarity they shared was their darker skin tones and curly hair, although Thomas currently wore his curls in box braids. From there, Thomas easily towered over Luciano both in height and weight since he was a bulky, young man compared to Luciano’s leaner figure.

Luciano didn’t understand how Thomas could maintain his firm physique since he couldn’t recall the last time Thomas took training seriously, much less, even lift a weight.

Thomas wasted no time. He poked Luciano in the forehead before straightened himself out. “If you’re going to have nightmares, then at least gag yourself from now on. Naptime is sacred to me.”

“All you do is nap.” Luciano threw his covers off and rolled out of his bed. He cringed when he stumbled from stepping on a book. He forgot how much of a mess that he left his bedroom and knew he would need to clean it before room inspections. “What time is it?”

Thomas yawned. “Almost noon.”

“Noon!” Luciano ran to his desk to grab his yellow blazer. He looked down and groaned as he forgot that he slept in his uniform. There wasn’t time to deal with the wrinkles, so he’d deal with the consequences when they came. “Why didn’t you wake me sooner? Instructor Eva’s class starts in a few minutes! And our Keyblade Field Exams today! We might not make it across the castle even if we run!”

“I’ll be fine.” Thomas buttoned his blazar as he stepped out of Luciano’s room. “My magic will get me there on time. You’re screwed, Lucio.” Within the blink of the eye, Thomas vanished.

Luciano cursed Thomas’s name since he sucked at teleportation magic. For all his skills with the Keyblade, Luciano couldn’t get teleportation spells down. He had no choice but to do things the hard way. He ran out of his bedroom and into their shared common space. He slipped his shoes on and started to run as fast as possible from one end of the castle to the other before he got counted tardy. 

Luciano ran through the hall with other students getting out of his way since he showed total disregard for them. Whispers and laughter followed at the Keyblade Academy in the Land of Departure as the students knew that a frantically running Luciano meant he was late for class. 

Students went back to ignoring Luciano and resumed their usual routine as today’s classes were minutes from starting, and they would resume their study to become true Keyblade Masters.

Since its founding a century ago, the Keyblade Academy trained almost two-hundred Keyblade Wielders at any given time. The Wielders underwent rigorous testing to ensure they were worthy successors to the legacy of the Keyblade that the Order of Aurelius strived to maintain in memory of legendary Keyblade Master like their founder, Master Sora. The Academy came to train future Guardians of Light who would serve the Worlds, and preserve the balance between Light and Darkness. 

These young Wielders understood their role and strived to prove themselves as legitimate inheritors of the Keyblade.

*~*

It was a miracle ordained from Kingdom Hearts, itself, that Luciano made it to class on time. Granted, he made it by a minute, but it was a miracle nonetheless.

Inside the classroom were over two-dozen students wearing either yellow, blue, or red blazers to signify their position in one of three barracks. Students in yellow represented House Amarela, while students in red represented House Sorx, and students in blue represented House Raš. The barracks meant little more than how best to house students as there were no real criteria in the sorting, but it didn’t mean there wasn’t any rivalry between them.

However, the excitement of the exams overwhelmed the usual tensions. 

Students talked incessantly about today’s exam. They spoke so freely since their Instructor Eva had yet to appear to instruct the class on today’s objective. Without any supervision, the students’ imaginations ran wild as they attempted to figure out the nature of the exam since the Order strived to make each field exam different from the last.

“Do you think we’ll face Heartless or Nobodies?”

“I think we’ll get thrown into the Realm of Darkness.”

“Oh! Dude! We’re totally going to time travel.”

“Maybe we’ll visit the Realm of Sleep?”

Luciano slid into his desk beside Thomas before swatting Thomas’s arm. “You could’ve taken me with you! Roommates are supposed to have each other’s backs.”

Thomas yawned. “You interrupted my nap. I only got to sleep for two hours and fifty-eight minutes instead of my full three hours.” 

Luciano rolled his eyes. “Dick.”

Thomas shot a malicious glare at Luciano, which he knew to take as a proper threat. “I heard that.” While Thomas preferred to nap over confrontation, he certainly wasn’t one to underestimate. Thomas was very much like a bear. He was great when hibernating, but the moment that he got angry, all hell would break loose. 

“Sorry.” Luciano folded his arms over his desk and buried his face.

“This is completely ridiculous! Who would create such a disastrous exam? I thought the Order of Aurelius was all about stability and order! How am I supposed to study effectively?”

Luciano pulled his head up to spot a pale-skinned, young man in a red-blazer look away from his notebook.

Where Luciano and Thomas were halves of a good student, Brendan was the model student that drove everyone insane. For such a good-looking, young man, Brendan also behaved like a total nerd that couldn’t deal with the slightest deviation from the predictable. 

Brendan jumped from his seat and nearly knocked it over in the process. The class fell silent since they knew to fear whenever Brendan got frustration. He mostly lashed out verbally, but given they had a field exam today, there was the possibility of them getting swatted with a Keyblade and magic.

And since Brendan was one of the top students at the Keyblade Academy, they knew how to avoid unnecessary conflict with him.

Whereas, Luciano was a magnet for Brendan’s fury. Since enrolling in the academy, Luciano became Brendan’s unofficial rival because of his natural talents. Not that Luciano was an incredible Keyblade Wielder, there were far better Wielders in their year. Luciano just knew how to hold his weapon correctly and could use magic effectively, which was enough of a challenge for Brendan, especially since Thomas refused to play along.

Brendan slammed his hands onto Luciano’s desk. “What do you know about the exam, Lucio! You’re a nosy one, and Instructor Eva likes you well enough. Tell me everything!”

Luciano pushed his chair away as Brendan got too close to his personal space. “Seriously, Brendan! I know as much as you do. Why don’t you bug Instructor Eva for more answers?”

“Maybe I will!” said Brendan. “The lack of clear answers is completely unprofessional!”

“Is that your honest opinion, Brendan?” said a stern, feminine voice. 

Brendan gulped as he slowly turned around.

At the front of the classroom stood a bronze-skinned woman with long, purple hair. She wore a turquoise blazer, a black skirt, and a dark-purple gauntlet strapped to her right arm. She blinked in his direction. Her brown eyes appeared rather inquisitive as she bore a gentle smile but showed clear signs of being annoyed.

Brendan quickly slid back to his desk. “My apologies, Instructor Eva. Iー”

“You’re clearly not good with uncertainty, that much is obvious.” Eva pulled a folder up from her desk. “That is part of the reason for the test. When on the field, nothing is certain. It is either do or die. And you all must be ready to adapt to any situation. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am!” said the class.

As Eva prepared her discussion, Brendan turned to glare at Luciano. “You knew she was here,” he whispered angrily.

Luciano blew Brendan a kiss.

*~*

Instructor Eva led her class to the courtyard, where the rest of the senior class gathered for the start of the Keyblade Field Exams. Eva joined the other instructors as they made final preparations. The sixty students waited anxiously for orders since they knew very little about the nature of the exams, aside from their previous lessons breaking down numerous possibilities. 

After everything, the students assumed they would either fight a horde of Heartless and Nobodies, or they would have to find their way home after losing all the memories.

Students dressed in red, blue, and yellow blazers gathered to discuss all the possibilities.

“I hope it’s something easy.”

“It would hardly be a field test if it’s easy.”

“We’re looking to become Warriors, not Masters. It can’t be that hard.”

“Maybe I should relinquish my Keyblade now.”

“Get it together, chicken shit!”

The voices echoed across the courtyard, with Luciano paying little attention. He leaned against a column as he tapped his foot on the brick ground while listening to everyone. Most of them speaking offered nothing worth Luciano’s attention, but he picked up a few words that surprised him.

Luciano listened carefully to hear the other students since Thomas snored peacefully on the ground for an extended nap.

“Did you hear that Master Layla sent more Wielders to find the Harlequins and Proteas?”

“No way!”

“What’s the difference between them again?”

Brendan groaned as he stood near that group of students. “You need to pay more attention to the weekly reports. The Proteas are troublemakers who don’t understand all the good that Master Layla and Master Virgil do for the world order. The Proteas are pretending that their goals are as noble as the Dandelions from the Age of Fairy Tales.” After showing off, Brendan went back to ignoring them as he eagerly awaited to find out the nature of their exam.

“Oh, right! So then the Harlequins are the darkness junkies.”

“Ha! Darkness junkies.”

“That’s far too polite for them. The Harlequins are no better than demons.”

“I bet they’re the ones that are controlling the Heartless now. They’ve been spotted in a dozen worlds now.”

“Wow! That many? Hey! Wasn’t Luciano’s world attacked by a Heartless invasion? Do you think the Harlequins were behind it?”

Luciano clenched his fists. 

The memory of the attack on Santa Cecilia was one that left numerous scars. He barely managed to survive because he manifested the Keyblade for the first time moments before the Heartless attacked him. And if Keyblade Warriors from the Order hadn’t arrived moments later, then he would’ve surely died.

“Fucking scary. Should we really expect more Heartless invasions like the days of Master Sora and his companions? What does that mean for us?”

“No clue. But if we have to watch out for anyone, then I would say keep an eye on William. He’s got a face that has Master Xehanort-in-training all over it.” 

Luciano knew precisely who they meant. 

William was from House Sorx and was another senior student. Where Brendan was the most brilliant student in their year, William was easily the strongest. Luciano could easily pick William out from the crowd as from his bright, golden-blond hair as he stood beside his companions from House Raš, Doron and Troilus.

William leaned against another column with Doron and Troilus flanking him. William was only an inch or two shorter than Thomas but towered over both his companions. He bore a cheeky grin as he picked up on the other students insulting his integrity. None of their words bothered him since he knew that they couldn’t back up their disgust the way that he could put them all in their place.

It terrified Luciano to think about how strong William was after witnessing William’s power a few times. William could keep up with most of the instructors and could probably hold his own against some of the Order’s Masters if he tried hard enough. Luckily for everyone, William rarely tried as he found most of the students unworthy of exerting that much energy over.

However, Doron and Troilus didn’t feel the same, especially Troilus. The shortest of the group, Troilus, treated every conflict like the fate of the world was at stake. And unlike William, Troilus acted shockingly friendly to everyone despite being so quick to jump into a fight. His enthusiasm was always obvious, given how quick he was to smile and how his aquamarine-colored eyes lit up. 

Meanwhile, Doron didn’t seem that remarkable, but appearances were very deceiving in his case. His shaggy, fire-colored hair helped him to stand out in a crowd since his lean frame, and average height couldn’t do the job. And he exuded a very chill aura that made him unsuspecting, but like William, he changed when in a battle to become someone fierce.

“Yeah, what’s with William?” asked a student. “He just seems so creepy.”

“Maybe he’ll kill you all.”

The students flinched when they looked to find William standing over them. They immediately ran away since they weren’t confident that William was only joking. 

Doron chuckled as he playfully elbowed William’s arm. “Take it easy, Willy! Depending on the exam, you might actually need them.”

William huffed. “Doubtful. If I had to depend on these jokers for anything, then not only would I fail this exam, I’d be left for dead.”

Troilus nodded. “I feel the same. There’s only a handful of people here who could properly fight. If they lived in the seas of Atlantica, then they would surely die.” 

“Yesh.” Doron crossed his arms over his chest. “We get it, Mr. Merman. The sea is a cruel mistress.”

“Indeed.” William looked over his shoulder to spot Luciano looking in their direction. William winked with his gold-colored eyes leaving Luciano breathless. 

Luciano blushed as he turned away, but it didn’t go unnoticed. William smirked but resisted the temptation to approach Luciano as Instructor Eva called for attention.

The students filed in as they prepared to receive their orders.

Eva stood on a miniature stage for enough height and spoke loud enough for all to hear. “We hope you took your studies seriously. Today, you will be sent to a mock battlefield where you are expected to demonstrate a full display over your mastery over the Keyblade. Should you perform satisfactory enough, then you will earn your promotion to full Keyblade Warriors. And with the promotion, you will be eligible for graduation.”

“Also, I want to notify everyone that there is another purpose for the exam. For the exceptional students, we plan a higher promotion where you will immediately participate in missions for the Order. However, you will still need to take your Master Qualifying Exams if you wish to prove your Mark of Mastery. Does everyone understand so far?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Eva smirked. “Good. Now, onto the exam itself. We will transport you to a pocket dimension for an hour. Each of you will be granted three chances to survive lethal encounters against your classmates. If you lose all three of your lives, then you automatically fail the exam and are transported back here. If you retain all three of your lives, then you pass. Everyone in-between will be graded accordingly. However, we are observing you, so if you attempt to hide for the entire exam, then you will be disqualified as well.”

Thomas groaned, since his plans to nap during the exam, got derailed. 

“Wielders, are you ready!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Sparks of light flooded the courtyard as everyone summoned their Keyblade.

Luciano clung onto the blue, curved hilt of Divewing. The shooting star keychain dangled at the side as the red sword and orange flame-teeth hovered over the ground.

Brendan struck the ground with his pirate shaped inspired Keyblade, the Wheel of Fate. After all his studying, he was well prepared for an exam of this nature.

Thomas yawned as he covered his face with the dark-blue poles of Spellbinder. 

Doron beamed with joy as he summoned the spikey black and neon-yellow Missing Ache.

Troilus could feel the adrenaline already pumping through his veins as he squeezed onto the pommel of Abyssal Tide until his knuckles turned white.

William didn’t find anything that impressive but enjoyed the thought of beating up his classmates as he taped the silver wing of Lost Memory against his leg.

Cracks, in reality, formed until a surging white vortex opened before them. Eva and the other instructors stepped aside to give the students plenty of space.

“Enter the portal,” said Eva. “Once everyone is inside, the clock starts.”

Students hurried into the portal since no one wanted to be the last one inside. They didn’t know what type of environment they would be thrown into, but a battle setting meant that where they positioned themselves would be as crucial as their physical and magical strength.

*~*

The portal expelled the students into a windy desert full of craters, a ravine, plateaus, and a few mountains. The students were scattered across the desert but close enough where they could keep an eye on each other. And despite being in a desert environment, they could hardly feel any heat, which reinforced the fake nature of their battlefield

Still, they couldn’t afford to act carelessly since they only had three chances to prove their worth during the exam.

Luciano took his position. He kept his distance from Thomas and Brendan since he didn’t want to get caught in a fight against them. He didn’t know how he’d feel if he prevented them from passing the exam. 

“Welcome to a simulation of the Keyblade Graveyard.” Eva’s voice boomed throughout the desert. “It is here where Keyblade Wielders collided in battle during the infamous Keyblade War that nearly destroyed the world. You have fifteen seconds to prepare yourselves!” 

In the sky, black numbers appeared that were perfectly visible to everyone. The numbers served as their clock as they could see the numbers ticking down from thirty to zero.

Luciano took his position when he noticed a pair of students nearby with their eyes on him. He bit his lip as there wasn’t any time for him to find a new position. 

A loud ringing echoed across the desert as the exam began. 

The students jumped from their position to ambush Luciano.

Luciano stood his ground as he barely managed to block their attack with his Keyblade. He dug his heels to the ground and pushed them back. The students rolled onto the ground and got back on their feet as he struck the ground with his Keyblade.

“Faith!” A ring of light formed beneath Luciano that ascended to a mighty pillar. The pillar erupted a wave of light that struck the students and sent them flying with their bodies fading from sight.

Luciano retrieved his Keyblade and knew that was his sign that his classmates lost their first lives, which meant he earned some points. He didn’t know how well this exam would turn out for him, but he needed to do his best as he could tell his classmates weren’t pulling any punches.

All around him, he could hear yells and screams as the battle raged.

*~*

The clock ticked closer to zero as the exam reached the twenty-minute mark.

Thomas sighed as he found himself surrounded. Eight of his schoolmates thought they could get the jump on him. He was far too clever to fall for such a trap, though. He could see their life counters over their heads, and most of them were down to their last life while he still had all three.

“I bet the lazy ass hasn’t even picked a fight yet.”

“He’ll be easy to crush!”

“Get him!”

The students launched into a fight without hesitation. Thomas could only roll his eyes as he raised Spellbinder towards his chest. “Idiots,” he whispered. “So quick to fight, but you do nothing to study your opponent.”

Pillars of earth rose to strike the students. The pillars kept ascending higher as the students screamed from the wicked ride. Thomas smirked while he raised Spellbinder over his head. “Thundaza!” Dozens of lightning bolts descended from the sky to strike the students, causing them to lose their next life.

Thomas yawned, while the pillars retreated to the ground as he cleared his path.

*~*

Troilus couldn’t stop grinning as he fended off a swarm of students. He showed no hesitation as he went at them with his full strength. He blocked a student’s attack with Abyssal Tide before punching the student in the chest.

“Fuck!”

“What’s with this guy?”

“How can someone so short pack such a punch.”

Troilus spun Abyssal Tide behind his back. He dug his feet to the ground and clenched his fists. “Didn’t anyone teach you never to judge a book by its cover? Come to me!”

The students yelled as they charged blindly against Troilus. He met their energy with the swing of Abyssal tide. A cold wind blew into the desert, and before the students could even blink, they found themselves encased in ice.

“Oops!” Troilus touched the tip of his nose. “I guess that is too chilly. Don’t worry; I’ll break you free.” Troilus slammed Abyssal Tide to the ground that generated a shockwave that shattered the ice cages but also ensured his foes lost a life.

*~*

The forty-minute mark approached.

Several students tried to surround Doron and Brendan, pushing them into a corner where Doron and Brendan had their backs touching.

The nature of the exam encouraged students to turn against each other and rely on ambushes, but Doron and Brendan were clever enough to see beyond such a simple formula. They kept their backs firmly against each other while they raised their Keyblades to guard themselves.

“I can handle the dozen to the left. The ten on the right are yours,” said Doron as he brought Missing Ache to his face.

Brendan smirked. He ran his hand along the blade of the Wheel of Fate. “Oh, really? If you’re so tough, then you can handle my half too.”

“Don’t worry. I want you to pass the exam too.”

“You’re so courteous.” 

A student groaned. “Enough with the banter! Take us seriously!”

The other students agreed as they rushed into a fight. Doron and Brendan rolled their eyes as they found their classmates’ boasts pointless. 

Doron faced his group but would catch them by surprise as they swore they saw triples. Copies of Doron appeared to lash out. The copies fought as wildly as Doron did as they showed no hesitation in pummeling his classmates to dust. He didn’t simply rely on Missing Ache to do all the work. He jumped into the fight and used punches and kicks to make his classmates regret all their life choices.

Meanwhile, Brendan took his half on with the grace of a dancer. He quickly transformed the Wheel of Fate into a lance that he swung in blinding motions before striking several of his classmates at once. In the middle of the fight, he split the lance into two smaller poles that he used to block and riposte countless attacks.

Within moments, dozens of students fell to the ground and were left a groaning mess as they faded out.

Doron blew a strand of hair away from his face while staring directly at Brendan. “Your form still needs a little work.”

Brendan huffed. “And you need to focus on guarding your left. Your response time is too slow.”

“Noted.”

*~*

The final five minutes of the exam began with the remaining students seeking to prove their worth.

William took a seat on a boulder since he eliminated several students already. He didn’t see much of a point in doing further damage. He already proved his superiority over his fellow students.

However, the other students didn’t feel the same. They wanted to demonstrate their skills by eliminating the strongest student in their class.

A dozen students sprang forth to bombard William with flare spells. An explosion erupted from the boulder with them beaming as they believed they took William out.

Instead, when the smoke settled, the students found William standing over a rock in tree pose with his eyes closed. He ran his left foot over his thigh as he maintained perfect posture and appeared unharmed from their attack, much to the horror of his classmates.

“What the hell!”

“How did he survive that attack?”

“He’s like some kind of monster!”

William opened his eyes. A dangerous smirk forming on his face as he stood normally and tossed his hand out to summon Lost Memory to his hand. “Cute. Want to see what a serious Keyblade Wielder can do?”

A red-headed boy in a blue blazer growled. “Dick!” He charged with William, not even budging an inch. When he swung his Keyblade, he had the perfect chance to cut William’s face but somehow missed.

However, it wasn’t that he missed; it was that William phased. William clenched his fist and struck the boy in the gut. The boy fell to the ground, and his body faded out as he lost his last life.

William swung Lost Memory over his shoulder. He glared at his remaining classmates. “This is your last chance.”

“Kick his ass!” shouted a pink-haired girl in a yellow blazer.

The students swarmed William with him shrugging. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

William’s eyes darkened as he moved at blinding speeds. He blasted through their guards with fire spells, slashed at their chests with his Keyblade, and kicked a handful of them in the face. He showed no mercy to any of his classmates. He pummeled them down like they were nothing as he acted far more ruthlessly then any of them could’ve anticipated. 

He grabbed a black-haired boy and smashed his face to the ground. He swung Lost Memory back and looked as though he planned to stab the pink-haired girl in the chest when a bolt of light intercepted the attack.

The pink-haired girl fell to her hands and knees, crying as she tried to scurry away.

William took a deep breath before blasting her with a fire spell. He huffed as he heard her scream then spun around to find Luciano standing nearby. The darkness in his eyes softened for a moment when he met Luciano’s furious gaze. “Okay. I can admit that I took it a bit far. But that’s the point of the exam, isn’t it?”

Luciano twisted Divewing behind his back. “You need to control yourself, William. Not every battle requires you to fight as you intend on slaughtering everyone.”

“I said I was sorry,” William smirked as he followed Luciano’s movements. He could tell that Luciano intended to fight him. And, honestly, he found himself intrigued by the challenge. He glanced up to the timer in the sky to find they had two minutes left. “Let’s see. If you beat me, then I’ll actually renounce my brutal ways.”

“And if you beat me?” asked Luciano.

“Then we go out on a date. And you’ll owe me a kiss.”

Luciano’s eyes widened as he started to blush once more. “What?” 

William didn’t skip a beat as he lunged after Luciano, but they were both ready as their Keyblades met in the middle. William blew a kiss at Luciano before generating a gust of wind that lifted them both in the air.

Luciano reacted poorly to the sudden flight, but he used magic to steady himself. He blasted an aero spell behind him to bring himself closer to William as he went in for a stab. William blocked the attack and dragged them both towards the ground. 

They parted ways upon landing before lunging at each other again. Their Keyblades connected in the middle with sparks of light erupting as the ground cracked beneath their feet.

William chuckled. “You’re kinda tough. It looks like you’re more than a pretty face.”

“You’re such a creep,” said Luciano. 

“Too bad, you have to go out with me now.”

“Not a chance!”

William smirked as he gestured for Luciano to look behind him. Luciano did only to find a second William behind him, which left Luciano confused as William and his copy pushed Luciano to his knees. 

However, before William could deliver a final blow, the clock buzzed as they reached the zero mark.

William dismissed his Keyblade and his copy before gently pulling Luciano back up. “So that still counts as a win for me.”

Luciano pulled his arm away from William’s grip. He took a step back as he couldn’t deal with being so close to William, especially since he felt his body getting hot. “I didn’t lose a life.”

“But you still lost our fight.” William stepped closer as he ran a finger along Luciano’s chin. “And I do intend on cashing in our date. And the kiss.”

When William leaned in for a kiss, however, reality shifted as the pocket dimension crumbled.

*~*

With the exam over, the surviving students found themselves transported back to the Academy. Luciano found himself standing near Thomas and Brendan, while William stood a few feet away with Troilus and Doron. 

The other students all sat on the ground as they groaned over their injuries. While they didn’t sustain any true physical damage as Eva explained, they did experience psychic damage that left their bodies feeling the pain.

Luciano looked around to find that the six of them were the only ones left standing.

Eva stepped from the other instructors. She bore a grin on her face. “Congratulations to the six of you. Of your entire year, you were the only ones to retain all three of your lives. In accordance with the rules, you passed the field exam and are officially Keyblade Warriors.”

“Hell yeah!” Brendan threw his fist into the air. His sudden burst of excitement surprised everyone since they weren’t used to Brendan being so joyous even when passing his other exams.

Even Thomas didn’t attempt to disappear for a nap. Instead, he patted himself on the back. “Well, was there any doubt.”

“Incredible!” Troilus said to himself. “We passed!”

“I knew we could do it!” Doron chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Troilus and William.

William smirked as his gaze found its way to Luciano once more.

Luciano felt a chill run down his spine, but at the same time, his stomach tightened in knots.

The other instructors applauded them as Eva approached them all. “We will hold a proper ceremony for you tomorrow. But given your performance today, you meet the criteria as laid out by Master Layla. She will want to speak with you. I will arrange a meeting. Keep an eye for my summons.”

They nodded. “Yes, ma’am!”

*~*

As Eva promised, a meeting between them and Master Layla was scheduled for that evening. Instead of having dinner in the mess hall with their classmates, they were brought to Master Layla’s private dining room. 

None of them ascended to the upper floors of the palace before since it was reserved for senior Order members only. However, special occasions called for exceptions. And they had a strong feeling that they were about to become more than just Keyblade Warriors.

The dining room was far more extravagant than a simple mess hall as the mahogany table, and matching chairs greeted them with light-gold painted walls, marble columns, and exquisite artwork.

Master Layla sat at the head of the table. She dressed in a floor-length, black dress with her green hair falling over her shoulders. She bore the kindest of smiles as she gestured for them to join her at the table, which they graciously did. 

As the head of the Order, Master Layla was the most powerful Keyblade Warriors currently. Her gentle demeanor served to mask the mighty warrior that could devastate any opponent that dared cross her path. The only one who came close to her was her advisor and second-in-command, Master Virgil.

“Welcome, everyone.” Master Layla spoke at a tone that was both soft and soothing. “I am pleased with your performance in today’s field exam. It is why I am confident in your promotion to Keyblade Warriors and becoming field agents for the Order.”

They applauded themselves before falling silent.

Master Layla folded her arms over her lap as the servers brought their dinner and filled their drinks with sparkling water. She waited until the severs left the room before leaving as she didn’t want to speak so openly about the Order and the Academy’s business. “However, I also believe in the six of you working together that you can bring out the best in each other. I already saw such potential while monitoring your exam.”

“Take Doron and Brendan. The two of you clearly demonstrated that you’re capable of cooperating despite objections. It was rather charming how you even criticized the weaknesses in your fight despite coming out victorious.” 

“As for you, Troilus and Thomas, I see you need to learn from each other. You are opposites that can prove a mighty force on the battlefield. Troilus, you are as unrelenting as a shark when you fight, but that quickness to fight leaves you exposed. As for you, Thomas, you show great skill in your sorcery but lack the proper motivation to focus unless in danger. I think in your cases, it would benefit you both to adopt certain traits from the other.”

Layla took a sip from her water before turning to Luciano and William. “As for you two, well, it is a bit of the same. You are polar opposites, yet I sense a magnetic pull that I also witnessed with your peers. William, you are as ruthless as nature itself even when calm as your presence alone is enough to pull out Doron, Troilus, and even Brendan to exert their true strengths. While you, Luciano, do something different. You have a radiance about you that serves as a guiding light that I noticed attracts others like Thomas, Brendan, and even William appears enthralled by such a light.”

William didn’t bother to hide the smirk forming on his face, while Luciano blushed and sank into his chair. 

“Yes. I think all of you working together could lead to an exciting time for the Order.” Layla gestured for them to begin eating as she continued to speak. “Excuse me for the rambling. I have many thoughts when it comes to you.”

“And you needn’t stop. We appreciate your insight, Master Layla,” said Brendan.

Master Layla nodded. “Then perhaps I should explain why we need new field agents. I am sure you’ve heard of the Harlequins and the Proteas.”

Troilus inhaled about half of his steak as he nodded. He quickly swallowed his food before attempting to speak since he did have some manners. “Yes, master. We’ve heard of them.”

“Gossip mostly,” said Thomas as he wiped some sauce from his bottom lip.

“Do you want us to hunt them down?” asked Doron.

Master Layla chuckled as she found Doron’s eagerness adorable. “Not quite. We need to conduct proper investigations first.”

William cut a small piece of steak. “Given our skills, is that really the best use of us? If they’re that much of trouble for the Order, then we should go straight for the kill.”

“The Order will deal with them, but I rather not put you in such grave danger for your first assignment.” Master Layla sipped from her water once more than calmly folded her hands over her lap. “We investigate first so we can understand their objectives. Then we can deal with them accordingly. Killing them on sight will leave them more desperate and likely to put more lives in danger.”

Luciano agreed as he could see how hasty actions could prove disastrous. “Understood, Master Layla. So, you would have us leave the Land of Departure for the outside worlds?”

“That is correct. Other agents are gathering intel, so we don’t need you on the field yet. However, you should expect a proper assignment within the coming days.”

“Excellent!” William beamed as he bit his steak. “A real assignment. We can finally get away from these stupid textbooks.”

“Don’t get too eager, Willy,” said Doron. “There are real consequences now. We don’t know how serious the Harlequins and Proteas are yet.”

Master Layla nodded. “You are right, Doron. We don’t know their limits. That is why I want to stress caution when you finally get your assignments.” She smiled at them as she started to eat her dinner. “Now, let us speak no more of work. Today is a day for celebrating. You are official members of the Order. You should enjoy it.”

“Cheers to that!” said Troilus.

“Cheers!” said everyone else as they raised their glasses.


	2. Mark of Desire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy! Thanks for sticking with us so far.
> 
> I wanted to post a quick warning that there is a pretty graphic sex scene near the very end of the chapter. Close your eyes if that's something that bothers you.
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated!

The day after the exams, the students of the Academy gathered in the ballroom dressed in formal suits in celebration of a new crop of Keyblade Warriors. From the senior class, two dozen more Wielders passed their exams. The Order held a formal ceremony earlier that day to welcome their newest Wielders before allowing everyone to depart for the party.

Laughter filled the air as the students danced. The faculty and staff finally allowed themselves to let their hair hang loose to celebrate. It was a rare sight for the students to see senior Keyblade Wielders act as happy and childish, but it was one that they found pleasing to the eyes.

Near the punch bowl, Luciano refilled his cup. He grew tired of the celebrations. Where he was used to partying well into the night back on his homeworld, his tolerance declined steadily since attending the academy and spending all his time studying. He considered sticking around for maybe one more dance before leaving.

However, someone else would have other plans in mind for Luciano.

A mountain of a man came up from behind Luciano to reach the punch bowl. Luciano nearly gasped when he got a good look at the bronze-skinned man to find one of the most attractive faces he’s seen before in his life. The man easily towered over Luciano in height and sheer muscle. He also bore such rugged features that Luciano found his knees going weak.

The man kept his long, brown hair tied with a black tie. He wore a suit similar to what most of the students wore except the cuffs and collars bore a design that reminded Luciano of the world Olympus.

“Is there a reason why you’re staring?” The man spoke deeply.

Luciano gulped as he turned away from the stranger. “No! Um. I’m sorry. I...uh.”

The man smirked. He took a sip from the punch before gagging. “There isn’t any alcohol in this. How dull. No booze and no orgies. What’s the point of this party.”

Luciano blushed. He hadn’t expected the man to be so blunt since he looked far more like the stoic type. “Pardon?”

Before the man could respond, William approached. “Come now, Ody. Don’t traumatize the poor virgin.” William patted the man on the back. Even William looked tiny compared to this man. “Little Luciano isn’t ready for such crass talk.” He pulled a flask from his coat and poured a little liquor into the man’s glass.

The man huffed. “Pity. He looks like the type that would enjoy them.” He raised his glass to William before departing back to the party.

Luciano watched the man leave before turning to William to find him dumping the entire contents of the flask into the punch bowl. Under different circumstances, Luciano would’ve attempted to stop him. However, he was too enamored by the man to care.

It didn’t go unnoticed as William bore a cheeky smirk as he finished mixing the punch with the liquor. “That was Odysseus. He’s Master Virgil’s former apprentice.”

“Oh!” Luciano shook his head. “Not that I asked who he was.”

“But you cared,” William sang. He took Luciano’s punch and poured the mixed contents from the bowl before handing the cup back.

Luciano sipped the punch. The liquor wasn’t too strong. “So, he’s Master Virgil’s former apprentice?”

William nodded before slamming a cup of his own. “Ody became an official Wielder a few years back. He taught a class when I first enrolled in the Academy, but the Order put him back on the field. As you can tell, he’s hardly the scholastic type. A man like that belongs on the battlefield, not in the classroom.” He pushed Luciano to finish his drink. “Enough about Ody, though. You still have a promise to keep.”

“I didn’t lose.” Luciano referred back to the bet. 

William disagreed. “Ask Brendan and Doron. They reviewed the footage. They’ll agree with me that I won our duel, so you owe me a date and a kiss.”

“But!”

Luciano got caught off when William pressed their lips together. Luciano didn’t know if it was the residual arousal from being in Odysseus's presence, the liquor, or the crush he already had on William, but his knees went weak once more. He pressed his body a little against William’s body as his hands found their way to hang onto William’s coat.

William smirked as he escorted them to the dancefloor. “I’ll count that as the kiss. But you’ll still owe me a date. That I intend to cash in on after our mission.”

Luciano had no time to argue since they found their way onto the dancefloor. The music and the other dancers forced Luciano to follow William’s lead.

*~*

As the party continued, Master Layla slipped away without anyone thinking twice on her sudden departure. Her heels clicked across the cold stone as she retreated to her office, but someone still wanted to have a word.

“Layla,” said a deep voice.

Master Layla paused. She looked behind her to find an older man in a dark suit approaching. He stood a little taller than her but was a good decade older based on the wrinkles on his face. He retained a larger frame that softened from his old age. He maintained a full head of silver hair and bore a hypnotic pair of blue eyes.

“Hello, Master Virgil. Is there something troubling you?” asked Master Layla. 

Master Virgil crossed an arm over his chest and bowed. “I apologize for the ambush. However, I felt the need for us to speak. Eva told me about your plans.”

Master Layla smiled. “Did she? Is there a problem?”

“Of course!” His voice boomed in the hallway. Luckily, there wasn’t anyone present as they were in the faculty corridor. “Far be it from me to question the Order’s leader, but these are children that you are sending out on missions.” He spoke softer now as he remembered they were out in the open. He needed to uphold appearances despite them being of the same cohort. “They only recently passed their exams. They haven’t been appropriately vetted to undergo missions. Much less have them investigate our enemies on behalf of the Order!”

Master Virgil groaned. “For pity’s sake, have these boys even fought a Heartless?”

A chuckle escaped Master Layla as she sought to assuage her comrade’s concerns. “These boys are old enough. In fact, they are older than Master Sora when he first started his journey and battled Master Xehanort. We must have faith in the children.” She turned to the window to see out to the courtyard where part of the celebrations took place. Many students and staff gathered to dance underneath the starry sky. “The boys proved they are capable enough. I personally reviewed their backgrounds, and I am willing to vouch for their competence.”

Master Layla turned to him once more. “Besides, aren’t you the one that sent young Odysseus onto several missions for us? He isn’t an Academy-trained Wielder. And yet he is out on the battlefield.”

“I am confident in his skills as his Master,” said Master Virgil. “Odysseus has studied under me for years.”

“Then, we are the same.” Master Layla looked out the window once more as Master Virgil joined. They watched with them spotting Luciano and William amongst the crowd. “The Darkness is rising, Virgil. It is the time that the Light gathers the strength to fight back before it is too late.”

Master Virgil frowned. “But to send them out so soon? Do you think it is wise? I am familiar with William and his...history. Whereas that boy, Luciano, should he be anywhere on a battlefield?”

“They have too much potential for greatness to leave them here.” Master Layla closed her eyes. “I am aware of the darkness that covers part of Wiliam’s heart. He will be properly tested soon enough. However, I do not wish to make the same mistakes as others like Master Eraqus. I wish to give William space to truly choose the path of Light or even walk the path of Twilight as Master Riku did.”

Master Layla opened her eyes as she found Luciano in the crowd once more. “And for Luciano, he wields such a bright light within him that it will attract the Darkness from every corner of space. He needs to be out there so he can prove himself worthy before the Darkness can extinguish his light first.”

Master Virgil nodded as he could understand the logic. “You are taking a big risk, Layla. If your gamble fails, then it gives the Harlequins and even the Proteas a critical advantage in our battle.”

“War is about taking chances. We can only account for so many variables. Not making a move is just as reckless as diving in headfirst.” Master Layla bowed before returning to walk to her office. “I choose to have faith.”

“Then, I pray that your faith won’t lead us down the wrong path.”

“As do I, Virgil. As do I.”

*~*

Dawn arrived at the Land of Departure. The guys gathered at the forecourt where Eva waited. They approached with everyone showing signs of still being tired from last night’s party. Thomas kept yawning a storm as he suffered from a dangerous lack of sleep, at least by his usual standards.

Even William looked miserable from being up so early.

Eva yawned since it was a bit early for her too. She shook off the lack of sleep while passing folders to them. “I hope you had a chance to review the mission file we sent yesterday. If not, this folder contains a decent enough summary before you start. Any questions?”

William raised his hand and paraded about like an excited child. “Yes, Ms. Exposition! Do we actually know anything about the Harlequins or Proteas? Like how do we identify their members?”

“Call me that again, William, and I will throw you into the nearest sun,” Eva spoke harshly enough that even William needed to take the threat seriously. “However, that is a good question. The Harlequins wear a mask that resembles a human face with the mask carved to include two curved pieces. As for the Proteas, they also rely on masks, but theirs are more fox-like.”

Brendan huffed. “So they would take the image of the Foreteller Ava? Well, they are certainly trying to portray themselves as similar to the Dandelions.”

“Would that make the Order like the Unions of old?” Doron scratched his head as he tried to piece the mystery together. “Is that why they’re picking a fight with us?”

Troilus clenched his fist and threw an arm into the air. “It matters not! Who cares what their motivations are! We only need to defeat them.”

“No, you will not!” said Eva. “Your mission is purely recon. You are to avoid fights at all costs.”

Troilus frowned as he hated that Eva kept him from the glory of battle.

Thomas yawned. “Sounds fine by me. A recon mission means more time to relax, which means I can find time to nap.”

“You cannot nap on a mission!” said Troilus.

Eva groaned and smacked her forehead. “You, boys, will be the death of me.”

Meanwhile, Luciano reviewed the file as they all kept up with the banter. He even ignored William breathing over his neck as William wanted attention. “The file says that there have been sightings in Twilight Town and Traverse Town. How should we handle such an investigation? These worlds are well populated. It makes stealth the most important element.”

Brendan nodded as he quickly read through the file as he didn’t want Luciano to continue to show him up. “Yes! And since stealth is a requirement to investigate and avoid a battle, our best bet is to split up in teams. Two worlds mean we should work in two teams of three.”

“An excellent suggestion!” said Doron. “How should we divide ourselves?”

William moved to wrap his arm around Luciano’s shoulder. “I think me and this guy should go on our own. The rest of you can form your own team.”

Luciano shoved William’s arm off him. “Not a chance. This is a proper investigation, and we clearly can’t work together without you trying to hump my leg like a chihuahua.” 

Everyone started to chuckle; even Eva couldn’t help herself from laughing. William crossed his arms over his chest and muttered a few curses. 

“I leave the team breakdown to you.” Eva waved them off as she made her way back into the Academy to catch up on some sleep. “Whenever you’re ready, we have a pair of Gummi Ships for you already programmed to your destinations. Best of luck, boys.”

*~*

A neigh-perpetual, twilight sky greeted William’s team. Troilus and Brendan joined him as they arrived in the sleepy world cradled in the Twilight Realm. The sunset view of Twilight Town appeared as a true marvel that made them all want to sit back and relax instead of remembering their true purpose for being there.

In light of traveling to a new world, they also decided to abandon their Academy uniforms to appear as ordinary people. William wore an unbuttoned silver vest with a floral print and a pair of black pants. Troilus wore a white shirt that partly resembled fishnets that exposed the left side of his muscular chest, while he wore golden pants that resembled a fish’s scales. Meanwhile, Brendan kept it far simpler and less revealing. Brendan wore a tight black shirt with blue lines running along the end, along with a pair of fitted black cargo pants.

They arrived at the city square, where numerous buildings stood tall with several businesses, houses, and apartments contained within those buildings. Twilight Town was a thriving world that only grew in the years as the population of Nobodies declined with more Keyblade Wielders present.

William yawned. He found his snooze button getting hit in part from boredom but also because he found Twilight Town too soothing of a location. “Where the hell are we supposed to find the Harlequins and the Proteas? This little hamlet looks too boring to fight over it.”

“Maybe that’s why our enemies are here.” Brendan stroked his chin to help himself think a little clearer. “This world is rather unsuspecting. And the Order’s records show that Ansem the Wise operated out of here when his apprentices banished him. Some of his records may remain here that may hold value to them.”

Troilus cracked his knuckles. “That’s great! We may get into a fight!”

Brendan groaned. “Will you two stop being so thrilled for a fight? Remember our orders.”

William waved Brendan’s concerns off as they wandered further into town to begin their investigation.

*~*

Luciano, Thomas, and Doron found an opposite kind of solitude waiting for them in Traverse Town. Even with the presence of more Keyblade Wielders across the stars, worlds would always fall to Darkness. Therefore, there would remain a constant need for Traverse Town to appear to aid those who survive the destruction of their world.

The Victorian architecture of the world greeted them with its dark skies. Electricity powered the street lights and provided most of the light, aside from the bright stars that dotted the sky.

They walked across the cobblestone streets into the First District were plenty of shops stood, and a few people lingered out in the open. The people of Traverse Town paid them no attention as they assumed they were other survivors or the occasional visitor that found their way to the world. 

None of them worried too much about maintaining an air of mystery. The people were far too aware of outsiders that the party couldn’t convince anyone that they were locals. However, they kept their focus on the mission as they reminded themselves that stealth was a crucial component if they would find any valuable information.

Their group also elected to change out of their Academy garb.

Doron stepped out from the group. He wore a neon pink crop-top and a pair of shredded, green tights. “Wow! This world is so different from the Kingdom of Corona.” He started to scratch his messy, red hair. “It’s a lot darker. But at least the people look happy here.”

A loud yawn startled Doron. Thomas slipped from behind him as he stretched his tired body. His dress appeared far simpler as he wore a white t-shirt underneath a denim jacket that he wore with a pair of tan pants. “So sleepy! Can we take a quick nap at the hotel in the Second District? I hear their beds are delightfully cozy.”

“But the mission!” Doron poked Thomas’s arm to keep him awake. However, Thomas didn’t like his buttons getting pushed. Thomas responded with a swift slap across Doron’s head. “Ow! That was rude.”

“Never poke the bear.” Luciano approached them. He wore a loose, yellow shirt with small green shorts. “I learned that lesson one too many times.”

Doron frowned, while Thomas appreciated that Luciano finally learned something.

Luciano stepped around them as he walked up the stairs leading to the accessory shop. “However, we don’t have time to sleep. We need to conduct at least a partial investigation before we even think of turning in for the night.”

Thomas yawned. “But, it’s already night.”

“Not yet!” Doron was about to poke Thomas again when he recalled his last painful lesson. He decided to keep his hands to himself since he didn’t want to get hit. “We still have a few hours before true nightfall. We’ll have enough time to explore the first three Districts before we turn in. Then we can explore the other two districts in the morning.”

Luciano nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

“Fine.” Thomas stuffed his hands into his jacket. “Let’s get this miserable investigation over with so I can sleep.”

Doron shook his head. “Remind me again how he passed his field exam?”

“I heard that!”

*~*

Twilight Town offered nothing for the investigation. The locals saw nothing of anyone matching the description of the Harlequins or the Proteas, which proved frustrating. 

With so few places they could investigate, they decided to head for the old mansion. They wandered through the woods to reach the decrypt building to find much of nature reclaiming the place as it appeared very abandoned. 

Troilus shook his head. “You’d figure that the Order would’ve tried to do something with this place by now, given its history.”

“I agree.” Brendan pushed the doors open to find a demolished house greeting them. There was broken furniture everywhere, cobwebs, peeled wallpaper, and broken statues, some of which resembled that of a unicorn. The lack of upkeep irked Brendan as he couldn’t see such a valuable place in such a pitiful state. “How tragic. I doubt we’ll find anything of use here.”

“You forced us to come here.” William stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Let’s get snooping.”

They wandered through most of the mansion and moved on quickly since most of the rooms were empty or filled with nothing of value. They peeked into a white room where they found faded drawings scattered everywhere that resembled that of a child’s artwork. The lack of proper preservation meant that they couldn’t see clearly what the images represented. Still, they knew enough of the history of the mansion to understand that the Nobody, Naminé, once resided here. 

Moving on, they found the old library that could offer some value. However, most of the books appeared as faded as the artwork. It increased their frustration until they found the basement entrance that looked far more modern. 

They wandered until they found a computer station with a dozen monitors.

Brendan frowned. He approached the computer to check if it even functioned. “That computer is so archaic. I don’t even know if I can turn it on.” He pressed a faded key that resembled the power button and beamed when the machine came to life. “Eureka! There is hope for us yet.”

William and Troilus gathered around Brendan since this was the first bit of useful news since they arrived in the world.

However, the good news ended there. Most of the files were corrupted or contained information utterly irrelevant to their mission. Brendan kept digging but came back disappointed even as the nerdy part of his brain was excited to see original records from Ansem the Wise.

“There’s no sign of evidence that the Harlequins and the Proteas were here either. It’s a bust.” Brendan concluded. He stuck a USB drive into the computer to retrieve some of the files since he figured there might be something useful there that wasn’t tied to their investigation. He recovered the data quickly enough and pulled it out when the monitor beeped. “What?”

Troilus pointed at one of the monitors. “Hey! There’s someone outside the mansion.”

William noticed it too. 

Outside the gates of the mansion, a large person arrived from the woods. The stranger was dressed in a white cloak and carried a peculiar device. 

“Can you zoom in?” asked William.

“Done!” Brendan focused on the cameras. The technology was far too old to do much good, but they could see enough of the stranger’s face to see a mask. “It’s a mask! But I can’t tell if it’s one that the Harlequins or the Proteas wear.”

“That doesn’t matter!” Troilus clenched his fist. “We’re in for a fight!”

Troilus ran upstairs before Brendan could remind them that they weren’t supposed to fight. Brendan growled as he spotted William running too, which left him with no other choice but to join.

Luckily, in the time that it took them to leave the mansion, the stranger hadn’t left yet.

The device in the stranger’s possession appeared as a scanner of some sort. The stranger’s intentions were a clear mystery to them, but they wasted no time in summoning their Keyblades to find out for certain.

Troilus charged after the stranger and smashed the Abyssal Tide at his foe. 

However, the stranger proved far more skilled. Smoke gathered around them as their Keyblade, End of Pain, emerged from the darkness. Their Keyblade manifested as a horrific weapon. At the center was a ram’s head with the long, red blade wide, and its teeth resembled that of a demonic wing with a blue eye attached to the ring that resembled a cat’s iris. And dangling from the end of the Keyblade was a yellow and pink butterfly with the same eye on the center. 

Except it wasn’t truly an eye. It was the Gazing Eye that they knew as a symbol of the ancient Master of Masters.

Troilus’s eyes widened as the stranger withstood the attack. “Who are you?”

The stranger pulled their hood down to reveal a man wearing a human-like mask. “Your worst nightmare.” The stranger struck Troilus in the chest. The force of the blow sent Troilus sailing towards one of the broken columns.

Not once in Troilus’s life did he suffer such a humiliating attack, but the stranger proved far stronger.

However, Troilus was fortunate that he wasn’t alone. Before the stranger could pounce again, William came to his defense.

William’s Lost Memory collided with the stranger’s End of Pain. Sparks scattered everywhere as the two appeared equal in strength. The stranger smirked as he used his height and muscular frame to push William backward.

Brendan came to the rescue as he jumped over a column. He transformed Wheel of Fate into its polearm form to conjure a barrage of golden staves that descended from the sky. William took the opportunity to jump out of the way as the staves bombarded the stranger.

A fiery, dark barrier formed over the stranger to shield him from Brendan’s barrage. 

Brendan gulped as he landed back on the ground. His Keyblade reverted to its normal form, and he didn’t have much time to brace himself as he had the stranger’s undivided attention. While the stranger didn’t appear as a fast fighter, the stranger made up for his lack of speed with might. The stranger slammed his Keyblade to the ground to conjure a mighty wall of dark fire that came charging after Brendan.

Troilus returned to the fight. He joined his Keyblade with Brendan’s Keyblade to conjure a wall of water that collided against the flames to snuff each other out.

Smoke flooded the field with even the stranger appearing confused. 

In that instant, William saw his opening. A ray of darkness gathered at the tip of the Keyblade. “Dark Volley!” William unleashed a barrage of dark projectiles that collided against the stranger.

They heard several groans as the projectiles found their mark. And as the smoke settled, they gathered as they noticed cracks forming on the stranger’s mask. Before he could cover himself, the mask shattered to reveal his true face.

Troilus and Brendan noticed some familiarity with the face, but it was William who smirked. 

“I knew that firewall.” William slung Lost Memory over his shoulder. “So, you’re involved with the Harlequins, Ody. I should’ve known as much.”

Odysseus didn’t bother with covering his face since William recognized him. Odysseus grabbed onto his cloak and tore it from his body. He revealed himself in a red and black sleeveless-shirt that featured a deep-V that exposed most of his muscular chest and dusting of chest hair. He wore the shirt along with a pair of red tights that hugged his massive legs.

Odysseus reclaimed his scanner while tightening his grip on his Keyblade. “Well, William, it’s always nice to see you, but I’m afraid I don’t have time to chat. I got places to be and worlds to investigate.”

“No, you don’t!” Troilus attempted to attack Odysseus, but it was too late.

A strange light swallowed Odysseus and teleported him somewhere they couldn’t reach.

Troilus managed to keep himself from crashing at the last second. He stomped a foot to the ground and growled. “Damn it! He got away.”

Brendan dismissed his Keyblade with it disappearing in a splash of watery light. “That was Master Virgil’s former apprentice, right? Do you think Master Virgil is involved with the Harlequins too? Or is Odysseus acting on his own.”

William shook his head as he glared at the spot where Odysseus once stood. “I can’t say for certain, but we should be aware of either outcome. Master Layla will want to know right away though that an Order member is working for the Harlequins. We should also report it only to hear that Master Virgil is connected too.”

“Agreed.” Brendan took a deep breath. “I guess we should return to town for now. Then we can rendezvous with the others. Let’s go, Troilus.”

Troilus slammed his foot to the ground. “Until next time, Odysseus. I swear I’ll kick your ass!”

*~*

The investigation of Traverse Town proved fruitless. Luciano’s team found nothing except the citizens that rebuilt their lives in this patchwork of a world. The first three Districts held nothing of value, and it was starting to get very late even by this world’s standards. They would need to get some rest before investigating the Fourth and Fifth Districts tomorrow.

They left the Third District and started to make their way to the hotel in the Second District. The streets appeared quiet and weirdly unoccupied even at such a late hour. They expected to see a few people at least, but they assumed everyone to be home getting some rest.

As they turned the corner, they found a dark figure standing in front of the fountain underneath the hotel. 

It didn’t seem weird at first glance. Fountains were soothing locations thanks to the rushing waters and great when trying to rest and relax. However, they noticed the dark figure wore one of the infamous Black Coats. 

Only those who wandered the Realm of Darkness dared to wear such a coat in public. They immediately went into stealth mode as Doron recognized the fountain as the location of this world’s Keyhole. 

Thomas gulped. “You don’t think the Black Coat is trying to destroy this world?”

“Can’t say for certain,” said Luciano. “Doron, do you think you can get closer? We need to know what he’s saying?”

Doron nodded. “Leave it to me.” He leaped over a bench to the upper walkway. He did so without raising any suspicion from the Black Coat. He sent a signal to the others to follow, which they did as quietly as possible.

As they neared the Black Coat, they could hear its dark murmurings. 

“Bright light. Bright light to extinguish. Yes, I know. Light will be mine. All mine.”

The words appeared incoherent, but it assured them that Traverse Town was in danger. The Black Coat was after the Light and would do anything to claim it or extinguish it going by its own words.

They glanced at each other and agreed to intervene.

However, as they were about to ambush the Black Coat, they found that it disappeared from the fountain.

“What the?” Doron double-take. “Where did he go?”

Luciano didn’t like that the Black Coat just disappeared. It spoke of an ill omen. He felt a shiver run up his spine. He looked up to see a Corridor of Darkness appear in the middle of the sky. “Look out!”

The warning came at the perfect moment. 

The Black Coat descended from the sky with an eerie laugh.

Doron and Thomas jumped to the side, while Luciano did a backflip towards the fountain. The Black Coat landed perfectly near the doors to the First District.

“Get him!” shouted Thomas.

The Black Coat didn’t even blink. The Black Coat extended its hands out to block Doron and Thomas as they slammed their Keyblades against it. Underneath its hood, they spotted a pink tongue slither its way out from the shadows, likely to lick its lips.

The Black Coat easily restrained their Keyblades with only its gloved hands. “How adorable. I have some baby Keyblade Masters think they’re worthy enough to fight me.

Doron and Thomas struggled to break free from the Black Coat’s grip.

Luciano stepped back. He summoned Divewing when he noticed that the Black Coat started to laugh.

The Black Coat dragged them into the air. Doron and Thomas screamed as the Black Coat spun them around in several rotations before flinging them towards the ground. Doron and Thomas bounced against the cement road as they sustained major injuries.

“No! Curaga!” Luciano blasted them with healing magic. Blooming flowers washed over Doron and Thomas, but the damage was too severe for them to shake it off easily.

A shiver crawled up Luciano’s spine. That’s when he felt a hand grazing against his back. He spun around to find the Black Coat standing behind him with a pair of red eyes peeking from the hood.

Luciano reacted quickly to swing Divewing at his foe. The Black Coat chuckled as it caught the Keyblade without the slightest trouble. “Pretty boy with a pretty light. I have never seen someone like you before.” The Black Coat pulled Luciano closer. Luciano couldn’t see a face underneath the hood, worrying him what this creature could be. “What I would give to make you mine.”

“Release me, monster!” Luciano pulled at Divewing, but the Black Coat showed no signs of budging. “Did the Proteas send you here to torment us? Or the Harlequins?”

The Black Coat tilted its head to the side. “Those names mean nothing to me. I am not one so easily bound.”

Luciano squinted his eyes. If this Black Coat was tied to no organization, then that made things far more dangerous than they anticipated. “Then who do you work for?”

A sinister smile appeared from underneath the hood. “Ahriman works only for himself.”

Ahriman blasted Luciano with intense darkness that sent Luciano flying across the Second District. He landed close to the clock tower, while Ahriman continued to laugh.

“Until we meet again, pretty boy with the pretty light,” said Ahriman. A Corridor of Darkness swallowed Ahriman into the abyss as he finally departed this world, leaving an injured Luciano and his injured companions behind.

*~*

Twilight Town didn’t look that different under its “night” sky then it did during the day time. The world only got a smidge darker than before, but the sky retained much of its sunset color. 

Troilus and Brendan crashed out as soon as they reached the beds, whereas William felt far too anxious for sleep to claim him. William decided to depart from the hotel and wander on the streets until he finally felt the need to sleep.

It became quieter now as most people went home for the night.

William wandered along the Tram Common and Market Street before following his instincts. He took a sharp turn into the back alleys that were far more abandoned then the rest of town.

As he passed a fence, a pair of hands came out of nowhere and pulled him in. He didn’t bother to scream since one of the hands immediately reached for his crotch.

Hot breath and a wet tongue touched William’s ear. He saw someone’s head from the corner of his eye. “Scream, and I’ll kill you.”

The husky voice brought a smile to William’s face. “Don’t threaten me with a good time, daddy.” William was spun around, and soon a pair of lips met his own, while the hands pulled him close against a board chest. He could feel the chest hair rubbing against his smooth chest.

After making out, William pulled back to find Odysseus’s hazel eyes burning with lust. William licked his lips as he pushed him through the alley until they came across a tarp covering that hid some kids’ hideout. There was junk everywhere that held only sentimental value. At least there was a couch that would come in handy.

“I didn’t expect to see you today.” William kicked over a book. “How inconsiderate of you, boyfriend. You could’ve called first.”

Odysseus huffed. He came up behind William once more, running a hand along William’s tight chest while the other hand went for William’s neck. “And miss your surprised face, lover? You know how much I enjoy seeing that dumb look.”

William groaned from Odysseus’s touch. “Lucky for you, I like surprises too.” He slipped his hand into his pocket to retrieve a USB drive. “I duplicated the files. My comrade didn’t even notice. And here I thought he was the brains of the operation.”

“Most excellent.” Odysseus took the USB drive and slipped it into his pants. He released William from his grip and started to walk away. “Now, we’re one step closer. We can replace the idiot leader soon, then you and I can run the show.” 

“Not so fast, Spartan.” Odysseus looked back to find William smirking while unzipping his pants. William tugged on his growing erection. “You know the rules when we fight. Loser offers up their ass.”

Odysseus licked his lips as he kicked his sandals off and started to pull down his tights. Even though he could’ve argued against the bet since William didn’t fight alone, Odysseus was far too horny to turn down the opportunity. “Yes, sir.”

They were quick to undress. Odysseus sank to his knees and swallowed William’s sizable cock. William’s eyes rolled back as he felt Odysseus's lips and tongue working in tandem. 

“Bless that mouth of yours.” William pushed Odysseus to take his entire cock at once. “I know what you didn’t in the barracks.”

A chuckle followed. Odysseus continued to work his magic on William until he was about to blow. William pulled Odysseus up and pushed him towards the couch. Odysseus climbed onto the couch and leaned over to expose his massive, muscular ass.

William smacked Odysseus’s ass, eliciting a deep moan. William enjoyed making someone as large as Odysseus act so submissive. In fact, he enjoyed it as much as pissing Odysseus enough to make him a dominant beast. William dropped to his knees and started to lick Odysseus’s asshole.

Odysseus started to stroke his cock. While not as long as William, Odysseus made up for it by having a much thicker cock. As Odysseus stroked himself, he started to tease his nipples too. “So, that twink,” Odysseus moaned from his self-pleasure and William’s tongue. “You were right. He is a pretty one. I’m not sure he could survive even one of us, much less both of us.” His groans deepened as he felt William’s tongue go even deeper. “Fuck! Will! Just like that.”

William pulled out, then replaced his tongue with a finger that he shoved inside of Odysseus to tease his prostate. William wrapped his hand around Odysseus’s neck and pulled him in for a kiss. Odysseus could taste his musk on William’s tongue. It made Odysseus stroke himself harder while William added a second finger.

“I’m glad you approve.” William bit on Odysseus’s bottom lip. “Luciano will do fine. He gets wet every time he sees me. And he practically humped my leg after meeting you.” William pulled his fingers out from Odysseus. He chuckled at the moan Odysseus let out. He forced Odysseus to turn over and expose himself fully.

Odysseus sat on the couch and spread his tree-sized legs apart. Odysseus groaned as William shoved his entire dick inside with one thrust. “Fuck! Just like that.” Odysseus took a deep breath when William started to thrust inside him, following the perfect rhythm that made his prostate sing. “If you think he can handle us,” gasped Odysseus between thrusts, “then we’ll bring him in. I’d like to see him ride you while I fuck you.”

William chuckled as he leaned in to kiss Odysseus before he reached to squeeze Odysseus’s nipples. “Good!” William moaned while continuing to hammer away at Odysseus’s ass. “I can’t wait to see you make Luciano screams while you crush him.”

“Fuck, yes.” Odysseus pulled William in for a kiss. William continued to thrust with the rubbing of their bodies, causing gentle friction as their sweat clung onto Odysseus’s chest hair. The hammering of his prostate and the constant teasing of his nipples made him cum. His anal muscles squeezed onto William’s cock even more than before.

It caused William to groan as he too reached climax and came inside of Odysseus. They panted for air as they started to see stars. Their sweat covered their slick bodies, and the smell of sex lingered in the air.

William slowly pulled out with cum leaking from his cock and Odysseus’s ass. He offered Odysseus another kiss before he started to hunt for his clothes. “Tell Virgil that I said hi.”

Odysseus dropped his legs to the ground. He needed to wait a moment before getting dressed as his legs felt a little weak thanks to William. “And say hi to our boy for me.”

A chuckle followed from William as he finished getting dressed and slipped out of the hideout.

*~*

After checking on the others and their injuries, Luciano felt comfortable enough to return to his bedroom in the hotel. He wore bandages along his forearm and thigh from this brutal encounter with this Ahriman. He quickly fell onto the soft mattress and embraced the comfort for a moment before deciding to stay awake for a few moments longer.

Luciano grabbed a notebook from his pack and started to scribble down a report on what occurred.

Ahriman made it clear that he didn’t have any connection to the Harlequins or the Proteas. He spoke too harshly about everyone when he said he worked only for himself. If he had his agenda and was a true wild card, then that was a terrifying thought.

At his level of power, Ahriman proved that he could take stronger Keyblade Wielders down. Luciano hated to picture what Ahriman could do to senior Wielders, even to someone as skilled as Master Layla, if their paths crossed. Luciano knew he needed to document the battle not just for the report but to ensure the protection of other Wielders. 

Luciano’s pen thumped against the notebook as he kept thinking about how to phrase everything convincingly enough. “They’ll want to know what he is. I don’t think he’s a Heartless. Or even a Nobody.” Luciano frowned. He didn’t know how to define Ahriman from the list of being that previous Wielders encountered. “There can’t be any Unversed since they were all tied to Vanitas. Could he be a Nightmare? But we’re in the real Traverse Town. Not the one tethered to the Realm of Sleep.”

“This is so confusing,” Luciano whispered. 

He added his uncertainty on what to make of Ahriman into his report before deciding to turn in for the night. The exhaustion and the injuries he sustained from battle proved too much in keeping his eyes open. He tossed the notebook onto the mattress before falling onto his pillow.

He didn’t bother with turning off the night or pulling the covers off as all he wanted to do was sleep.

As Luciano quickly fell into a deep slumber, his defenses fell to nothing. He proved completely unaware of the shadow that lurked outside the hotel that watched him closely.


	3. Mark of Invasion

Dawn reached Traverse Town, although it wasn’t apparent to non-natives. 

Luciano slipped out of the hotel room to find Thomas and Doron in the cafe. They hardly looked any better than they did yesterday with Luciano in a similar position. Even as their injuries slowly patched themselves up, they weren’t back to a hundred percent. 

To comfort their injuries, Doron and Thomas ordered enough food that they shared with Luciano when he finally joined them. Doron passed an empty glass and the carafe of orange juice they ordered too. 

“Any news from the Order?” asked Luciano.

“None yet.” Doron picked at his syrupy pancakes. “I was waiting on your copy of the report before filing anything. I figured that you might’ve remembered something from the fight.”

Thomas licked the syrup from his fork before stabbing a sausage link. “That thing. Do you have any idea what he could be?”

Luciano shrugged as he started piling food onto his plate. “Again, all I got was a name. Ahriman.”

“Not a lot to go on,” said Doron, “but maybe someone in the Order knows more.”

Silence fell over their breakfast. They ceased their conversation there as more hotel patrons gathered to eat. Once they finished, they returned to Doron’s room so that they could prepare for their next move. Luciano started to submit their reports when an urgent communication came in through their Gummiphone. 

Luciano stared at the screen for a second when he recognized Eva’s call signal. “Hello, instructor. What is the problem?”

“We received word from William’s team that they confronted a Harlequin in Twilight Town, but we also received words from our operatives in Radiant Garden that the Harlequins are there now. Your new orders are to head to Radiant Garden now to assist our operatives.”

“Yes, ma’am!” said Luciano. “But first, we need to submit our reports. We were attacked by an unknown figure in a Black Coat yesterday.”

Eva’s connection went silent for a moment. “A Black Coat? There haven’t been any Black Coats since the days of the Organization. Can you confirm if he was a Harlequin or Protea?”

“Neither. When we confronted him, he easily defeated Thomas and Doron before stating that he served neither group. However, he did give us his name. Ahriman.”

“Ahriman,” Eva whispered. “That name doesn’t ring any bells. I’ll search our reports to see if any of our agents confronted him before. Thank you for the heads up. And be careful in Radiant Garden.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The connection died again, with Luciano turning to Doron and Thomas. They heard the call and knew what to do next.

Immediately, they gathered their belongings, then left the hotel. They left the city gates to return to their Gummi Ship docked in a hangar at the edge of town.

Once inside their Gummi Ship, they received another transmission. Doron was quick to establish the connection as he recognized the signal as one Troilus used.

“Hey, guys!” said Doron. “Eva told us you fought a Harlequin.”

“And we heard you fought a Black Coat.” William’s voice boomed through their communications. “Are you guys okay? Did the Black Coat inflict any major injuries?”

Thomas yawned. “Only on our pride.”

Luciano nodded. He activated the ship’s controls to prepare for takeoff. “We’re on our way to Radiant Garden now. Did Eva notify you of the Harlequin activity there?”

“She did,” continued William. “We’ll provide backup. We’re preparing for takeoff.”

“Same here. We’ll meet you there.”

“Aw. It’s a date, Luciano.” 

Luciano rolled his eyes at William’s latest attempts at flirting before ending the communication.

*~*

Traveling in the Oceans Between, Luciano’s group arrived at the world of Radiant Garden in record time. Radiant Garden appeared as a stunning utopia of society, given its knowledge of outside worlds that allowed for significant advancements in technology. There were dozens of sleepy villages surrounding a colossal, lavender-colored castle with the entire town featuring an assortment of technology. 

Luciano walked along the fountain courtyard to find the residents of the world, roaming freely with smiles on their faces. It was likely they received no word or evidence of any impending danger.

“Should we report a potential attack?” Doron stood with his arms crossed behind his head.

“No.” Thomas shook his head. “It’s likely that the Order agents are trying to minimize the risk of panic.”

Luciano nodded. “Let’s head to Ansem’s Castle to rendezvous with the others.”

They walked along the brick roads to the castle. They passed more smiling faces and residents of the world who truly did appear blissfully unaware. However, the same couldn’t be said for the castle. 

A dozen guards stood at the castle gate, wielding key-shaped swords. While not true Keyblades, the scientists of Radiant Garden uncovered a method of creating weapons like the Keyblade. It was through the research of Ansem the Wise, Ienzo, and Even that such technology was possible in the years that followed the end of the last Keyblade War. With these Keyblade-like swords, it provided the people of Radiant Garden a better means of defending themselves without a constant need to rely on Keyblade Wielders.

However, the potential of the Harlequins attacking meant that Radiant Garden needed the support of Keyblade Wielders.

Luciano, Thomas, and Doron received access to the castle without much trouble. A guard escorted them to the security room where they found the castle’s staff and Order agents present alongside William’s group.

Troilus smiled as he ran up to them. “You finally made it! We started to get worried that a Heartless attacked you in the ocean.”

Doron punched Troilus’s arm. “Aw! You were concerned. Big softy!”

“Indeed.” Brendan turned to Thomas and Luciano. “We received word from Eva that a Black Coat attacked you. Are you okay?”

Thomas shrugged. “As well as can be expected.”

An angry cough gave them the signal to be quiet. The group gathered to join everyone else.

William tilted his head towards Luciano to whisper, “I’m glad you’re not too hurt. But it looks like I missed my chance to play doctor.”

Luciano blushed and whispered back, “Shut up.”

“We can confirm at least one Harlequin in the area.” The Order agent speaking was one that they knew as a blue-haired man named Ren. They didn’t know much about Ren since he didn’t spend much time at the Academy. They only knew that the Order stationed him at Radiant Garden to assist the scientists in the castle on their research.

Ren crossed his arms over his chest as he nodded his head towards another agent. The agent pushed a few keys on the computer to show the image of a man wearing a Harlequin’s mask and dressed in a white cloak. “Our cameras picked up a masked figure near the castle last night. We couldn’t properly identify the operative because of the mask.”

Troilus and Brendan squinted at the monitor. They couldn’t tell if the masked figure was Odysseus given how poor of quality the image was, but their gut instincts told them it was likely him.

William pretended to look concerned as he noticed Troilus and Brendan’s expression. He resisted the urge to smirk, however, as he thought about the sex he had with Odysseus. 

“Why did he come to the castle?” asked Doron. “Is there any research here of value to the Harlequins?”

Ren nodded. “Potentially. The staff here are investigating the true origins of Light and Darkness. Given what the data recovered from the Foretellers and Dandelions, we became aware of the Darkness manifesting true sentience. The same is possible for the Light too.”

Brendan scratched his head. “How would that research benefit the Harlequins, though? Unless they plan to communicate with this sentient Darkness.” Brendan gasped. “Is that it! If the Harlequins could communicate with the Darkness, then they could unleash untold horrors upon the Realm of Light!”

“But is that their true goal?” asked another Wielder. “It wouldn't make sense to plunge the realm into such chaos.”

“We can only assume the worst from the Harlequins until proven otherwise,” continued Ren. “The same can be said for the Proteas. Neither group expressed their true agendas yet, so nothing is off the table.”

Thomas frowned at the thought. “I get antagonizing the Harlequins, but the Proteas have done nothing to attack the Order or its members. Shouldn’t we assume that the Proteas at least mean us no ill will?”

Troilus crossed his arms over his chest. “I agree. We should focus on kicking this Harlequin clown’s ass to get the information we need. Should we patrol the city now?”

“Not yet. Even if we do conduct a patrol, it won’t do us much good when the Harlequins are known to use the Corridors of Darkness. It makes tracking them nearly impossible.” Ren turned to everyone in the room. He emphasized the need to prepare for a fight while not alerting the residents of the world. “Our mission is to focus on securing the castle’s security. If there is an attack, it would be too easy for the information here to follow into the wrong hands. I don’t have to remind everyone that would spell a certain disaster for the world order.”

“Yes, sir!”

Ren dismissed everyone and notified them that the castle staff would help them with their sleeping arrangements.

With everyone slipping out of the security room, William made sure to catch Luciano and pull him away before he got lost in the crowd.

William led Luciano away from the crowd to a somewhat secluded spot around the corner. “I’m cashing in on our date.”

Luciano rolled his eyes. “Really? We’re expecting a Harlequin attack, and you want to go out on a date instead of preparing with everyone else?”

“That makes it the best time to cash in on our bet.” William leaned a little closer to Luciano so that no one else could overhear them. “If we’re going to die soon, then I’d want to make sure I get to know you better first. Plus, you don’t want to deny a man his dying wish.”

“You’re not dying yet.” Luciano groaned as he looked William in the eyes. The most rational part of his brain screamed at him to blow William off and reject the date. However, the constant thumping of his heart and the weakness in his legs begged him to go out. “Fine. But I better get some dessert out of this date.”

William licked his lips. “Well, I have been told that I taste quite sweet.” 

Luciano punched William’s shoulder as he slipped free to catch up with the others.

*~*

After finding his room and cleaning up, Luciano met William at the castle gates for their date.

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this. We should be preparing for an attack.”

“Relax! This is a date. There’s no need to act so stuffy now.”

William took Luciano to a restaurant that overlooked the old castle. Since they were seated outside, it granted them a perfect view of the castle that made it the ideal spot for a date despite the sight being one of tragedy. The old castle remained mostly in ruins from the days of the war a century before. Now, it served as a memorial to those who fell in battle.

Their server filled their water cups before leaving to take their order to the kitchen staff.

Luciano picked at the basket of bread until he found a piece of sourdough. “I’m not stuffy. I just don’t think it’s a good idea to go out on a date when we know something bad is about to happen.”

“Something bad is always going to happen.” William took a sip from his water. “We’re Keyblade Wielders. Our job is rooted in danger. If we didn’t find the time to live, then we would spend all our time in a constant state of crisis and war.”

Luciano frowned. He could see William’s logic, but still didn’t find now was the best time for a date. “Well, at least I’m getting a free meal out of this.”

“Who said I was paying?”

“You’re the one who forced me on this date. You better be the one paying.”

William smirked. “Kidding. You need to learn to chill, babe.”

Luciano squinted his eyes. “Don’t call me babe. You haven’t earned that privilege.”

“Oh, but I could earn it? Good to know.”

Luciano took a sip from his water. “You are nothing but trouble.”

William chuckled. “Is that what you heard from the Academy? Did you also hear that I sacrifice children to Heartless, and fuck myself with a replica of Master Xehanort’s dick?”

“No, I haven’t. What the hell did you do to get such wild rumors about you started!”

“Be better than most of our classmates. People aren’t thrilled with someone like me being at the top of the class. Despite their respect for Master Riku and Master Terra, our peers still fear anything that resembles the darkness out of prejudice.”

Luciano picked at his piece of bread. “So, you walk the path of Twilight?”

“I walk my own path. One not obsessed with labels.” William glanced out at the old castle. “Look at this world. It wasn’t always a shining beacon of light. Once upon a time, it was Hollow Bastion, then the people rebuilt it and willingly accepted the dark past of their world and even of their leaders. Ansem the Wise and his apprentices fell to darkness even if it was through Master Xehanort’s manipulations. But they continued to accept darkness as part of themselves.”

Luciano shifted in his chair. He fiddled with the collar of his shirt as he looked away from William. “All this talk of darkness is hardly a romantic subject. Next, you’ll say that Heartless nearly destroying my homeworld was a good thing.”

“What happened at Santa Cecilia is a true tragedy,” said William. “I couldn’t justify something horrific like that happening.” William frowned. “I don’t even remember much of my past. I spent so much of my life in Neverland amongst the Lost Boys that I’m not even sure if I have a family or who bequeathed their Keyblade to me.”

Luciano frowned. “Then, the rumors of you arriving at the Land of Departure on your own is true?”

“Yeah. But there’s no need to cry for me.” William winked over to Luciano. “I’ve done fine on my own. Although, I wouldn’t say no to having a cute boy like you to keep me warm at night.”

Luciano chuckled as their waiter returned with their food. They put their conversation on hold until their waiter left once more. “I can’t tell what’s going on with you. You’re either a decent person that hides behind vulgar words, or you’re a nutcase like that Ahriman.”

William cut into his steak. He bit his lip since he heard enough about Ahriman from Doron to feel troubled that Luciano would even make such a comparison. “And which do you think is the true me?”

“I’m not sure.” Luciano started to cut into his steak too. “But...I’d like to find out.” Those words made a smirk grow on William’s face. That wasn’t the answer William expected to hear, but one that he was happy to hear.

The conversation continued with them attempting to make an honest effort to get to know each other better. William remained overly flirtatious while Luciano pretended like he wasn’t so easily won over by William’s charm. But Luciano wasn’t that good of an actor. Luciano did find William’s charm appealing, and William noticed he was slowly winning over Luciano’s heart.

As nightfall approached, they returned to the castle to get some rest before their shift in the watch.

Before they got too close to the castle gates, Luciano suddenly grabbed onto William’s hand.

In an act that left William stunned, Luciano stepped on the tips of his toes to kiss William. William went to wrap his arms around Luciano’s waist, but Luciano was quick to slip free before William could get a firm hold. 

William gasped as Luciano chuckled as he stepped towards the gate. “Thanks for the dinner and conversation,” said Luciano. “Maybe we can do this again.”

“Maybe?” asked William. “I’m going to need something a little more certain than that.”

“You’re only getting a maybe.”

William chuckled as he watched Luciano go to the castle. “Maybe. I can work with that.”

*~*

That night Luciano tried to find sleep, but it eluded him. Luciano’s mind buzzed with everything that happened in the last two days. The fight against Ahriman being the most troubling, but Luciano found himself also terrified when Brendan pulled him aside earlier to find out Odysseus was the Harlequin member they battled in Twilight Town. It made Luciano worry if the Harlequin agent in Radiant Garden was Odysseus, someone he didn’t necessarily want to fight, in part, from the attraction he felt when they first met.

And that attraction left Luciano feeling guilty as he thought about the date with William. It surprised Luciano how much he enjoyed William’s company despite William’s pushy nature. And even with William’s leanings towards Darkness, Luciano couldn’t help but feel drawn to William as a person. The fact that Luciano felt feelings for William and Odysseus, someone he didn’t even know, made him feel like a real bastard.

Luciano tried to silence his thoughts so he could get some type of rest.

However, any attempts at a peaceful rest in the castle came to a dramatic end. 

Luciano buried his face in the pillow. He thought the sounds from outside came from a thunderstorm, but then the room began to shake, followed with a loud bang. The shock of it brought him out from his sleep, which made him notice the smell of smoke. 

He ran towards the window and threw the blinds open to see it was still night, but there were fires scattered across the city. Despite the darkness blanketing much of the city, he could also spot slithering figures on the streets along with dark figures in the air. The screams of people were a dim echo when the sounds got louder in the castle. 

The bedroom door flung open with William rushing inside. “Luciano! Get dressed. There are Heartless attacking the city.”

“Heartless!” Luciano quickly grabbed his shirt. 

William led Luciano downstairs, where their team and the other Order members gathered. The castle staff escorted fleeing civilians inside as the castle wards were the strongest in the world and would protect the people from the Heartless. 

Thomas led a father and child inside while Doron blasted a fire spell in the air to keep a Heartless away. “You’re safe now. Rest easy.”

“Bless you, sir,” said the father.

Luciano rushed over to Ren, who started coordinating the other Wielders. “Sir! What should we do?”

Ren turned. “Take your team outside too. We need to drive the Heartless off the world and stop whoever summoned them. Assume that the Harlequins are responsible. You also have orders to kill if the Harlequins do not surrender.”

“Whoa!” William’s eyes widened. “You’re giving us the kill order? What happened to investigating the Harlequins?”

“Yes. It is one thing to drive division, but somebody summoned a horde of Heartless here. They must be swiftly punished.”

Luciano clenched his fists. He could only think of the horde of Heartless that attacked his homeworld as he heard the screams outside the castle, and the people cowered inside. “We’ll do whatever is necessary to save these people. Even if it means killing every Harlequin!”

William’s jaw hung open as he didn’t expect to hear such fiery words. He bit his tongue and summoned Lost Memory. “If those are our commands, then we’ll follow them. We better hurry before more people get killed.”

Ren issued for the Keyblade Warriors to take to the streets while leaving only a couple of Warriors behind to reinforce the castle’s defenses. 

The Keyblade Warriors descended upon the city. They leaped over the fleeing civilians and ran across the roofs of buildings. Luciano slid down a railing before summoning Divewing to his hand.

Luciano leaped from the railing to dive smash into a nearby Neoshadow as it prepared to strike a little boy. The Heartless exploded into darkness as Divewing ripped its form apart. Luciano grabbed the boy’s hand and escorted him towards the fleeing civilians. “Go to the castle! You’ll be safe there!”

“Thank you!” The boy cried as he joined the crowd.

William jumped from a nearby house and landed next to Luciano. “Nice rescue. But there are more in the city square.”

Luciano nodded. “Lead the way.”

They jumped onto a nearby house and ran across the rooftops to find the other Keyblade Warriors as Heartless continued their assault on Radiant Garden.

*~*

Most of the Keyblade Warriors scattered across Radiant Garden for damage control. A segment of them attempted to guard the Central Square before they got further divided because of the Heartless. 

Troilus sliced a Darkball Heartless in half with Abyssal Tide. He dragged his feet against the brick road before striking several Shadows at once. He found plenty of Heartless still gathering at the Central Square but noticed fewer Keyblade Warriors present. 

William, Doron, and Thomas disappeared ages ago when a tide of Heartless pushed them along with several others to other parts of the world. Troilus could only find Brendan nearby. He also caught a glimpse of Luciano jumping onto a rooftop before jumping out of sight to avoid a pair of Neoshadows.

“This is bad,” whispered Troilus. “Division leaves us more vulnerable.” He slammed Abyssal Tide against a Neoshadow as he raced over to Brendan. Despite being more of a brute, he had enough common sense to work alongside someone during an invasion of such a scale.

Brendan swung Wheel of Fate to generate a tide of water from the ground that drowned the nearby Heartless. They exploded in clouds of darkness, clearing his surroundings so he could better analyze their situation. “I don’t like this. We’re losing track of everyone!” Brendan felt a hand touch his shoulder. He almost swatted Troilus in his panic. “Oh! Sorry, Troilus. I didn’t realize you were still here.”

Troilus shook his head. “You’re good.” He looked around as some of the Heartless remained at the square. Meanwhile, more started to slither to other parts of the world. “We need to stick together if we’re going to make it out of this. There’s safety in numbers.” 

“Right! I got your back if you got mine.” Brendan positioned himself close to Troilus. They both kept their guards up as they allowed the Heartless to come towards them. They swung their Keyblades, destroying the Heartless upon contact. “I still can’t believe that the Harlequins would conduct such a gambit! Do you think Odysseus is involved?”

“Can’t put it past him.” Troilus ducked to avoid a Neoshadow before blasting it with a fire spell. “But I don’t think he did this alone. There are far too many Heartless here to be the work of one person.”

Brendan nodded. He sliced a Darkball. “More Harlequins are present. How many of them are present is the true question.”

Troilus sliced a pair of Neoshadows. He brushed the sweat from his eyebrows when he caught a glimpse of something on the rooftops. He looked in that direction, hopeful that it helped, only to find someone else that he immediately recognized. “Odysseus!”

Brendan finished clearing up his area when he looked to the roofs too. He gasped as he saw Odysseus running away from the castle. “So, he is involved.”

“I’ll get him!” Troilus charged towards Odysseus, ignoring Brendan telling him to fall back. 

However, before Troilus could get anywhere close to Odysseus, a Keyblade sailed in his direction. Troilus reacted at the last second to stop running to avoid a direct blow, which allowed the Keyblade to strike the ground instead of him.

Brendan walked over to Troilus as they spotted the dragon-shaped Keyblade. A Wielder dressed in a white cloak arrived to retrieve the Hidden Dragon Keyblade and turned so that they could see the clown-like mask.

“You will not interfere with our mission, Order dogs!” said the Harlequin.

They raised their Keyblades at their masked foe.

“Another jester!” hissed Troilus.

Brendan gulped as he didn’t know what to expect from this Harlequin. “We must assume that they’re as strong as Odysseus. We have to work together!”

“Ya!” Troilus charged after the Harlequin despite Brendan’s warning. Brendan groaned as he followed Troilus into battle before his companion got himself killed.

*~*

The fighting only grew worse as it appeared that more Heartless flooded their way into Radiant Garden. The odds felt stacked with the Keyblade Warriors further separated from each other. It took a lot of skill and luck for William, Thomas, and Doron to remain in proximity to each other to maintain their defense position over the city fountain.

Thomas threw a hand into the air. “Thundaga!” Bolts of lightning descended from the sky to strike the approaching Shadows and Neoshadows. The Heartless exploded from the assault, providing Thomas with a moment of respite before the next wave approached. He groaned as he slammed Spellbinder against a Darkball Heartless.

Doron did a backflip to avoid a Neoshadow from swiping at him. He skidded across the brick road before rushing in to kick the Heartless in the face. “Where are these things coming from? Who in their right mind would summon this many Heartless?” He took a step back with a flurry of petals forming around him, which revealed themselves as miniature blades. He swung Missing Ache forward to unleash his flurry of blades to bombard the nearby Heartless. “The Harlequins can’t be that insane! No one would benefit from this nightmare!”

“Something worse is at work here.” Thomas guarded himself as a Darkball crashed into him.

“Then, we’ll smash the bastard to a bloody pulp!” Infuriated that he still couldn’t find any sign of Luciano, William knew he needed to kill every Heartless insight. He jumped over the fountain statue of Ansem the Wise. Several Heartless started to circle him as he conjured a dark orb to shield himself. “Get the hell out of my way!” Bullets of darkness erupted from his shield to blast the Heartless and clear much of the surrounding area.

Thomas and Doron could see their chance at cleaning the mess up. From their positions, they raised their Keyblades above their heads. “Aeroga!” The mighty whirlwind that they summoned started to lift the Heartless in the air, which put them within close range of William’s attack. The blasts of darkness took out those Heartless too, which left the fountain area in the clear.

Doron fell to his butt as Missing Ache vanished in a flash of light. “I’m exhausted! Now I see why you sleep so much, Thomas.”

“Now isn’t the time to snooze.” Thomas appeared wide awake, which worried Doron and William. The fact that Thomas wasn’t complaining about wanting to sleep reinforced the dangers of this situation.

William twisted Lost Memory behind his back, so he was prepared to keep fighting. “This spot is clear, so there isn’t much of a point in sticking around here. You can stay here, but I’m going after Luciano.”

“And the others?” asked Doron.

“They can handle themselves.”

Thomas nodded. “This is pure chaos. If the Harlequins aren’t involved, then something is telling me that Ahriman is. Ahriman took an interest in Luciano, so if he’s here, then there’s a good chance the freak will attack Luciano.”

William slung Lost Memory over his shoulder. “It looks like I need to move it.”

However, before William could make his move, the sound of thunder echoed in the air. There wasn’t a single cloud in the dark sky, which worried them. Then, the explosive sound grew louder when they noticed a dark portal open on the ground nearby.

A vortex of Shadow Heartless emerged from the portal. The Shadows swirled in a horrific column that they recognized from their studies as a Demon Tide.

Doron jumped to his feet with his eyes nearly bulging from his skull. “No way! We have to fight a Demon Tide too!”

Thomas gulped. “This isn’t good. It would take someone truly wicked to risk summoning a Heartless of this magnitude.” 

“It doesn’t matter!” William charged at the Demon Tide. “We kill it like all the others!”

William’s boasts proved dangerous. The Demon Tide welcomed William’s challenge and smashed into him. The Heartless swept William in its darkness with it taking everything William had not to allow the Heartless to kill him as he was dragged towards the town reactor.

“Shit!” said Thomas. “We have to help him.”

Before Thomas and Doron could go to William’s aid, a new swarm of Heartless appeared at the fountain.

Doron summoned Missing Ache once more. “First, we need to save ourselves!”

*~*

At the Outer Gardens, Luciano found himself at the breaking point as it took every bit of skill he had to avoid direct hits and repel the Heartless’s attacks. His feet ached from all the running, and he could barely swing his Keyblade anymore. And yet the Heartless kept coming in waves that knew no end.

Luciano’s breathing weakened from the fighting. He tightened his grip as best he could and raised Divewing to protect himself as a group of Invisible Heartless floated closer with their blue swords in hand. The Invisibles was the strongest of the Heartless in the area, which made Luciano’s situation even more dangerous given their sheer number.

The Invisibles prepared their attack only for a barrage of dark fireballs to blast them aside. The fireballs demolished most of the Invisibles while forcing the few remaining ones to float away and regroup for a moment.

Meanwhile, a figure descended from the nearby gates to cover Luciano, while wielding the End of Pain Keyblade. Luciano gasped when his savior turned and saw Odysseus’s face. “I would question how you could get in such trouble,” said Odysseus, “but given how bright you shine, it’s obvious to me. So keep behind me if you want to live.”

Luciano shook his head. “But you...you’re a Harlequin. Why would you protect me?”

Odysseus smirked. “It’s more complicated than that.” He blocked an Invisible’s attack as the Heartless swung its sword at him. He punched the Heartless before cutting him in half with his Keyblade. 

The remaining Invisible’s flew towards him, which gave him a chance for a final strike. A chill washed over them as Odysseus fired a blast of black ice that erupted into several spears of ice that tore the remaining Heartless apart.

Odysseus’s Keyblade vanished in smoke. “That was actually a little tiring.” He smirked as he felt the tip of Keyblade on his spine. “Do you really want to pick a fight with me? After I went through the trouble of rescuing you?”

Luciano stepped back but kept his Keyblade raised, but his arm trembled from exhaustion and fear. He glared at Odysseus as they finally faced each other. “You summoned the Heartless. Why would you protect me? And don’t give me this ‘its complicated’ bullshit.”

“If you must know, this wasn’t our intention.” Odysseus crossed his arms over his chest. He stepped closer to Luciano, not afraid in the slightest that Luciano would strike him. He could quickly tell how weak Luciano was in this current condition. “We’re only here to get the data from the castle. While we have no qualms of using the Heartless, we didn’t summon them here. Although chaos does benefit us still, this is someone else doing.”

Odysseus gently took Luciano’s wrist to cause him to dismiss Divewing. The Keyblade vanished in a burst of light. Odysseus kept his grip loose enough to make it clear to Luciano that he had control over the situation, but he didn’t intend to harm Luciano either.

Luciano’s knees got weak again as it did the last time he met Odysseus. This time he couldn’t tell if it was from arousal or concern given his awareness of Odysseus being a Harlequin. “It still doesn’t explain why you rescued me. You attacked my friends. And William.”

A smirk grew on Odysseus’s face. “You don’t count William amongst your friends? Interesting.” He huffed. “Is that because you think of him in more romantic terms?”

“What!” Luciano’s face became hot.

Odysseus winked. “I saw enough back at the party and got a glimpse of your date. You two look pretty cozy together.”

“It’s not like that!” Luciano spoke a bit too loudly.

“Or really?” Odysseus wrapped his arm around Luciano’s waist and pulled him close. “Then, you’re still on the market.”

Luciano smacked Odysseus’s chest but found that he only hurt himself more than he hurt Odysseus because of all the muscle. “Creep!”

Odysseus chuckled. “Easy, tiger. You don’t want to pick a fight when I do this.” Before Luciano could open his mouth, Odysseus launched them into the air. He jumped with incredible might towards the gate and carried Luciano in the direction of town.

Since Odysseus could jump so remarkably high, Luciano panicked. Luciano didn’t thrash in Odysseus’s arms because that would put his life in danger. Instead, Luciano wrapped his arms and legs around Odysseus to hang on for dear life. It made Odysseus smile as he enjoyed having Luciano cling onto him so desperately. Odysseus could see now why William found Luciano so appealing.

They landed on the roof of a building. They weren’t too far from the castle, but they still couldn’t see any Keyblade Warriors or Heartless nearby. Luciano immediately broke free from Odysseus’s grip now that they were safe. A laugh escaped from Odysseus as he closed the gap between them once more. 

“There’s no need to be so afraid of me,” said Odysseus. “You and I could be partners.”

Luciano felt furious at such a suggestion. “You have to be joking. Why in the world would I want anything to do with someone like you! All you want is to bring destruction to the worlds.”

Odysseus sighed and shook his head. “You really are clueless to the true purpose of the Harlequins. It is unwise to fear the Darkness so. Blind devotion to the Light is equally as dangerous.”

“I’m not blind!” Luciano thought back to his date, and the brief time he’s spent around William on top of his pre-existing trauma. “Darkness took my home from me. My mother is dead because of the Heartless, and Santa Cecilia is only a shadow of its former self.” Luciano clenched his fist. “Even William’s path, he’s not trying to hurt anyone! Unlike you!”

Odysseus stepped close. He caught Luciano’s arm as Luciano went for another punch. He frowned as he kept Luciano restrained, but made sure his grip wasn’t too tight. “I don’t want to hurt anyone either. I’m trying to end these senseless fights.” Odysseus leaned closer to Luciano with their lips hovering only an inch apart. “It is Master Layla and Master Virgil that would risk another Keyblade War instead of fighting for peace.”

Luciano gasped as he tried to question what Odysseus meant but received a kiss instead. Despite appearing and acting like a brute, Odysseus was far more gentle than Luciano could’ve ever expected. Odysseus even released his over Luciano and instead moved his hand to rub Luciano’s lower back as Luciano clung onto Odysseus’s shirt.

The kiss left Luciano, seeing stars much like he felt whenever William kissed him.

Odysseus smiled. “Don’t fear the darkness, Luciano. The Darkness protects the Light of Kingdom Hearts, after all, so you should let darkness protect your great light.” Odysseus moved in to kiss Luciano again when he felt something wicked in the air. His muscles tensed up as he shoved Luciano away, but, luckily, Luciano also sensed something approaching them and was ready. 

Luciano summoned Divewing to protect himself as Odysseus summoned End of Pain.

A blast of dark energy struck the ground they once stood. They thought a Heartless tried to attack them but instead noticed someone in a Black Coat standing on a nearby tower.

The Black Coat laughed. “Who knew someone with all those muscles was quick too.”

Luciano recognized the voice without any trouble. “Ahriman!”

Odysseus raised his eyebrows. He didn’t dare say a word but recalled the name from a message William sent last night.

Ahriman started to applaud Luciano. “The pretty one remembers me! I am so flattered.” He tilted his head back with his hood, nearly slipping when he caught it to keep it in place. “The stars are looking down upon us. We are meant to keep crossing paths!” 

Dark bands of energy formed from Ahriman’s hands. He jumped from the tower and landed on the same rooftop as them. “But you, macho man, you’re in the way of destiny!” Ahriman launched himself after Odysseus with them crossing blows. Odysseus shielded himself with his Keyblade with lightning bolts surging from their collision. “The macho man is a strong one.”

Odysseus shoved Ahirman back to give himself some space. He grabbed onto End of Pain with both hands, glaring at Ahriman as he didn’t realize this man was so strong. “Listen here, basketcase! I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care. Slither back to whatever hole you crawled out of before I kill you!”

Ahriman covered his chest as he started to laugh. “Cute! You think I’m so easily frightened?” Lightning traveled along Ahriman’s arm. The lightning took the shape of a Keyblade made from pure energy. “That boy’s light belongs to me! And nothing you can do will stop me either! I will summon a thousand more Heartless to get to him.”

Odysseus and Luciano gasped as Ahriman confirmed that he was the one that bought the Heartless to Radiant Garden. And all to get to Luciano for some reason.

Odysseus glanced at Luciano from the corner of his eye. He adjusted his stance, assuring Luciano that he would have his protection. “You’re a real idiot if you think that’s going to happen.”

“Says the clown that likes to wear masks.” Ahriman launched himself to Odysseus with them crossing blades once more.

Sparks of energy rippled across the rooftop, demolishing sections of the tile roofing. Odysseus expended more energy to stand his ground, while Luciano nearly got blown off the roof.

Luciano stabbed the roof with Divewing to keep himself grounded. He looked up to find Odysseus dueling Ahriman now with neither one showing any sign of surrendering as their blades continued to collide. Odysseus swung at Ahriman with mighty blows, but Ahriman dodged nearly every attack before countering with a swift strike that left Odysseus stumbling. Despite taking Ahriman’s attacks, Odysseus’s defenses proved strong enough to take the hit, but it wasn’t clear how long he could keep up with such a fight.

While Luciano found himself grateful to have Odysseus’s protection, Luciano found himself terrified at the thought of what might happen if Odysseus lost. What in the world could Ahriman want with him? And why did he of all people drive Ahriman to such a blind obsession? 


	4. Mark of the Father

Sparks ignited everywhere from Odysseus and Ahriman’s duel. The clash illuminated the square with Odysseus striking with fearsome blows to immobilize Ahriman. However, Ahriman proved too skill and unpredictable of an opponent. Despite his instability, Ahriman displayed a level of calculation in his every move that left Odysseus and Luciano guessing what would come next.

Odysseus blocked Ahriman’s electric blade. His Keyblade, End of Pain, absorbed most of the electricity, but he still sustained minor shocks. Enough that it left him tasting copper. 

Ahriman licked his lips. While the hood was pulled extra close, Odysseus could catch a glimpse of a pink tongue, which left him unsettled. He saw Ahriman is far too inhuman that any display of human features proved frightening. 

Ahriman tilted his head a little closer. “What’s wrong, handsome? Are you scared of me?”

Odysseus growled. “I’m afraid of no one!” He pressed against the electrifying connection with all his might to shove Ahriman back a few feet. He forced Ahriman to retreat a little, enough to give him a few seconds to breathe in peace.

Meanwhile, Luciano watched the fight unfold. He could tell that Odysseus was losing steam and would need real support to survive the battle, while Ahriman showed no signs of slowing down. He couldn’t process how someone like Ahriman could exist. Ahriman acted as unstoppable as a force of nature. 

Luciano tightened his grip on Divewing. Odysseus put himself in danger, so Luciano needed to step up to provide support. Luciano pointed his Keyblade towards Ahriman. “Pearl!” Bolts of holy light erupted from the tip of Keyblade that spread out into three blasts.

The holy light approached Ahriman, leaving him feeling like he suffered from sunburn. Ahriman sacrificed his electric blade as he tossed it after Luciano’s attack. The blade erupted in electrifying darkness from the impact with one of the orbs, triggering a large enough explosion to demolish the other two.

Ahriman stared in Luciano’s direction. “You would turn your Light against me? Shameful! We are a dyad, and you would disrespect our union!”

Luciano crouched as he swung Divewing behind him. “We are no dyad. I don’t even know what you are! But I will gladly help Odysseus in pounding you into dust.”

A chuckle escaped from Ahriman. He started to float in the air while he conjured another electric blade to replace the one he sacrificed. “The pretty Light is bold. A shame he would rather make war than make love.” He flew towards Luciano, preparing to take a swing at him. “Well, if you will not play nice, then I will put you in your place! Light shall bow before Darkness!”

“I bow to no one!” Luciano prepared to intercept the attack when a flash of fire got between them.

The fire settled with Odysseus appearing between them. Odysseus blocked Ahriman’s attack again, taking the brunt of the damage instead of Luciano.

Ahriman growled. “Again! You would get in the way of my destiny.”

Odysseus glared. “For someone who clearly loves spreading chaos, you prattle on like a cranky, old man. It’s time for you to retire, oldtimer.”

“Such basic insults have no sway over me!” 

“Then how about a punch to the face!”

Luciano took advantage of Odysseus’s direction to slip around them. In a split second, Ahriman was utterly defenseless, which gave Luciano the chance to punch him. Luciano built enough force to punch Ahriman hard enough to break his concentration. Ahriman lost the focus to maintain the magic to form his blade, which gave Odysseus an opening too. 

Odysseus struck his Keyblade to the ground then kicked Ahriman’s chest.

Ahriman sailed backward but managed to land on his face and yet his hood still maintained in place. Ahriman placed a gloved hand over his face with a chuckle escaping. “Well, this is getting exciting. It’s cute how you two learned to support each other. I guess that means I can take the gloves off!”

Luciano gulped. If this was Ahriman holding back, then Luciano worried what Ahriman would look like at his best.

*~*

Meanwhile, it took Brendan every bit of his cunning to keep Troilus and himself alive as they dueled the Harlequin alone. The Harlequin wasn’t as strong or skilled as Odysseus but proved more than capable of handling both of them at once. Despite wielding a shorter Keyblade, the Harlequin moved his Hidden Dragon with such fiery precision that it left Brendan second-guessing his every move even as Troilus continued to throw himself into the fight.

Troilus attempted bashing the Harlequin with Abyssal Tide, but the Harlequin was too quick. The Harlequin danced out of Troilus’s range. The Harlequin laughed underneath his mask while he extended a hand forward towards Troilus’s face.

“I wonder what grilled merman tastes like.” 

A fireball formed with the Harlequin nearly blasting Troilus’s face. Luckily, Brendan tackled Troilus before the magic could burn him. 

Troilus landed on his arm with Brendan hitting his shoulder. “I could’ve blocked it!”

Brendan groaned. “You’re welcome! Ungrateful ass.” He shrugged his pain as he tightened his grip on Wheel of Fate.

The Harlequin launched another fireblast. This fireblast proved brighter and hotter than the previous one, capable of burning them both to a crisp. 

Brendan swung Wheel of Fate to conjure a wall of water, but his magic alone wasn’t enough to save them. 

As the fireblast approached, Brendan’s water wall grew larger. Brendan looked behind him to see Troilus pointing Abyssal Tide to the wall, amplifying the magical might.

The fireblast crashed against the water wall. Steam floated across the square with the Harlequin’s footsteps echoing as he still targeted them.

“Come out, little boys. I promise to make your deaths quick. That is if you Order dogs surrender.” A sickly laugh followed the Harlequin’s threat.

Brendan braced himself for another attack with Troilus getting back on his feet to join him.

However, they heard the Harlequin groan. The sounds of swords clanking echoed across the plaza with the Harlequin making another threat about killing the Order only for his voice to cut out mid-sentence. The steam still covered much of the square so they couldn’t tell what happened. 

“Aerora!” Brendan blasted the steam aside with a focused blast of wind.

The gust filtered the steam to expose the Harlequin unconscious on the ground with a masked figure stepping onto his back. The masked figure dressed in leather pants and a matching jacket with the hood pulled up to cover their head. A Keyblade also dangled from the figure’s hand, a brownish-yellow Keyblade with a genie’s lamp as the Keychain.

Unlike the Harlequin, the masked figure didn’t wear a clown’s mask, but instead wore a fox mask. The mask of a Protea. 

Troilus squinted his eyes as he recognized the Keyblade. “Three Wishes?” He shook his head. “Instructor!”

The masked figure removed their mask with the hood falling over to reveal their face.

“You’re quicker than I expected, Troilus.” Eva tossed the mask aside as she kicked the Harlequin aside. “I thought Brendan would figure me out first.”

Brendan stood with his jaw open. “I was too shocked that you’re a Protea to say anything.”

Eva huffed. “Of course you were.”

“This isn’t over!” The Harlequin stumbled to his feet with blood pouring from a cut on his arm. “You won’t be me.”

“I already did.” Eva charged after the Harlequin once more. A ferocious wind followed her movement with her Keyblade igniting in light. She moved at sonic speed to strike the Harlequin with a Sonic Blade. The Keyblade slashed across his chest with her doubling back to strike a second time.

The Harlequin gasped as blood poured from the open wounds. He collapsed to the ground with his body fading.

Eva dismissed her Keyblade as she turned to Brendan and Troilus, noticing their faces looking oddly pale compared to their usual sunkissed tone. “What? He wasn’t a friend of yours, was he?”

“No,” said Troilus, “but we didn’t think you’d kill him. Wouldn’t you want to detain him?”

Eva shook her head. “Not that one. But that’s a story for later. Right now, we need to find the others. Given the chaos with the Heartless, I can tell everyone got separated, which really isn’t good, especially with Ahriman likely running around here.”

Brendan followed Eva’s lead with Troilus not too far behind. “You know about Ahriman?”

“Enough to know we need to get the others to safety before he can kill them.” Eva looked around for any sign of the others. That’s when she noticed sparks flying in the distance. “That’s probably them. It isn’t too far from where Boss is.”

Troilus raised his eyebrows. “Boss?” 

“Later! We find the others first.”

*~*

A Darkball exploded into darkness as Doron finished smacking it with Missing Ache.

Doron’s shoulders slumped with him, nearly falling onto his butt. “Please tell me that was the last of the Heartless in the area! I can’t keep fighting like this. Even I’m getting exhausted!”

Near the fountain, a Neoshadow jumped from the water. Before it could attempt to ambush Doron, a spear of ice formed from the water to rip the Neoshadow apart. 

“That should be it.” Thomas slung Spellbinder over his shoulder. His icy determination faded as he gave a mighty yawn that could wake the dead. “Oh. I guess that means we’re safe now.” His body started to fall apart. Every muscle ached, and his eyes felt like they weighed a ton. He followed Doron to the fountain and took a seat. “A nap sounds delightful about now.”

Thomas gave another yawn that was loud enough to pull Doron from his slump.

Doron shook his head. “Bro, you’re so inconsistent! This was the longest I ever see you not complain about needing a nap. You probably took out four-hundred Heartless on your own.”

“Five-hundred and sixty-eight.” Thomas closed his eyes as he rested his head on his hand. “But who’s counting.”

“Nuts.” 

“Hey! No sleeping on the job.”

Doron and Thomas looked behind them to spot reinforcements coming to the fountain area. Doron jumped to his feet when he spotted Troilus and Brendan, but started to beam with joy when he noticed Eva.

“Instructor!” Doron pulled Thomas to his feet, with them running together to reunite with the others. “Why are you here? I thought the Order couldn’t send the calvary in time.”

“They didn’t,” Brendan butted in as usual. “She saved Troilus and me from a Harlequin. And, get this, she’s a Protea!”

“Oh,” Doron and Thomas said, plainly.

Troilus raised his eyebrows. “Oh?”

Eva shrugged. “They knew.”

“You knew!”

Thomas nodded as he regained a bit of energy from the excitement. “Of course, we did.” Sparks of light appeared in their hands, with them holding fox masks. “We’re Proteas too.”

Doron grinned. “Undercover ones!” A swift punch knocked Doron’s shoulder. Doron glared over to Troilus as he saw him gearing up for another blow. “Owie! What did you do that for?”

“All this time, you were a Protea! And you kept it a secret from me?” Troilus’s clenched his teeth with Doron noticing Troilus’s eyes red from emotion. “I thought you trusted me.”

Doron frowned. “I’m sorry, but I was following orders. Plus, you’re a horrible secret keeper.” Another punch struck Doron on the same arm. “Ow! I’m sorry, Troilus. Please, stop hitting me.”

As Doron continued to beg for mercy, Brendan turned to Thomas.

Thomas made his mask vanished and continued to feel Brendan’s eyes on him. After the years they’ve known each other, Thomas could already tell what Brendan wanted to say. “No, I wasn’t a Protea when I first entered the Academy. No, Luciano isn’t one, and he knows nothing. And, yes, Instructor Eva recruited me.”

“You know we’re going to talk about this more later, right?” said Brendan.

Thomas yawned. “After naptime.”

Eva rolled her eyes. “Worry about the naps later. We still need to find William and Luciano.”

Doron’s eyes widened. “William! We got separated from him when a Demon Tower swept him up.”

“A Demon Tower!” shouted Brendan and Troilus.

“Of course, Ahriman would summon one of those.” Eva shook her head. “Well, I’m confident that William can survive fighting one, but we need to find him soon. I don’t want to overestimate his abilities.”

Doron pointed towards the reactor. “It took him in that direction!”

*~*

Ahriman easily held his own against Odysseus and Luciano. Odysseus would throw himself into the fight to take the bulk of the damage with Luciano in the back, providing magical support. Whenever the opportunity allowed itself, Luciano blasted Ahriman with magic while also providing constant healing.

Luciano avoided a stray lightning blast. He nearly lost his footing too as he landed too close to the edge of the rooftop. He gulped when he noticed he was on the roof of a four-story building. The fall wouldn’t have killed him, but the injuries would’ve taken him out of the fight.

Meanwhile, Odysseus brushed aside Ahriman’s next attack. He swung his Keyblade to repel Ahriman before extending his hand out. “Dark Firaga!”

A blast of black fire shot from Odysseus’s hand and crashed into Ahriman. The attack launched Ahriman backward, but it did little damage. The Black Coat proved powerful enough to shield Ahriman from significant harm.

Ahriman even patted out the remains of the smoke and flame while laughing. “That was a bit spicy. I almost felt a little heartburn from it.”

Odysseus growled. “Why is he such a pain in the ass to kill?” 

Luciano rushed over to Odysseus with him swinging his Keyblade towards Ahriman. “It’s like he has a never-ending energy source. Is something like that possible?”

“It’s possible.” Odysseus tightened his grip. “Although I can’t see how or what that energy source is. That’s what makes him all the more dangerous.”

Ahriman chuckled. “Are we done talking about me? I’d like to get back to fighting.” To sate his hunger, Ahriman went full steam ahead. He prepared to strike with his electric blade only for an electrifying cage to form around him. He shocked himself when he bumped against the cage, which proved to stun even someone as strong as him. “What trickery is this!”

“Begone, demon!”

A burly man joined them. 

The newcomer wore the fox masks of the Proteas with his dark hair exposed, which bore streaks of gray in it. He wore blue robes and, in his hand was a Keyblade that resembled a weapon known as a Gunblade and radiated a bright-blue aura. The Keyblade bore the face of a lion on top and angelic wings for its teeth. Much of the Keyblade resembled a Gunblade with the hilt resembling a revolver with another angel wing and a lion’s face dangling from the Keychain.

The man pointed his Sleeping Lion Keyblade towards Ahriman as his electric cage still kept Ahriman unable to pursue Odysseus and Luciano. “I will not repeat this,” the man said, his deep voice echoing across the rooftops. “Leave now, and I will not destroy you.”

Ahriman grabbed onto the bars of the cage, allowing it to shock him. “This isn’t over. I will kill you both for keeping the Light from me.” A Corridor of Darkness opened within the cage, swallowing Ahriman to parts unknown.

The man released the spell and prepared to take his leave.

“Thank you!” Luciano spoke up. “You came at the right moment.”

“It was no trouble. I was in the area.”

Luciano smirked. Luciano found the man’s voice oddly soothing despite the bass in his tone. It almost reminded Luciano of his father, which made Luciano miss him more. His father disappeared a few years before the Heartless attacked with everyone assuming he died. 

Odysseus crossed his arms over his chest while staring at the man’s Keyblade. He began to smirk as he recognized the Keyblade and the man’s voice. “I didn’t ask for you to rescue me,” he said, calmly, “but I appreciate the backup, Master Juan.”

The man flinched while Luciano raised his eyebrows. Luciano dismissed his Keyblade as he stared at the man’s back. He took a deep breath to catch a whiff of the man’s scent, a mix of smoke and coffee that always reminded him of his father.

“Dad?” said Luciano. “Is it really you?”

Odysseus dismissed his Keyblade. He curled his lips back since he didn’t expect to trigger a potential family reunion.

Juan removed the mask and turned to face Luciano. The resemblance made Odysseus want to kick himself from noticing it sooner since Luciano looked like a younger version of Juan. 

“Hello, Luciano,” Juan said softly. 

Luciano released a heavy breath with tears starting to form. Before he could think twice, he charged after Juan to punch him across the face. “We thought you were dead! You disappeared without a trace, and here you are alive! All this time. We mourned for you! We buried your clothes. We built an ofrenda to remember you!”

Odysseus took a step back. Now he regretted saying anything.

Juan rubbed his thumb across his lip. He didn’t feel any blood, but the sting of the punch lingered. “I’m sorry, mijo. I tried to protect you and your mom.”

“A lot of good that did! She’s dead.”

Juan frowned. “I know. I know.”

Luciano raised his fist only for Odysseus to grab it. Luciano tried to break free, but Odysseus kept a firm grip.

“Easy. Give the man a chance to explain,” said Odysseus. “There’s no need to make this a bloody reunion. Besides, you used up a lot of energy in the fight.”

Luciano took a deep breath. He felt his nerves calming but also parts of his body going numb as he noticed his exhaustion. “Fine. I will.”

Odysseus smiled. “Good. And on that note, I bid you both a farewell.”

“What!” Luciano slipped his wrist free. “You’re leaving now?”

“My mission is done here. And I got bigger plans.” Odysseus glared at the spot where Ahriman stood only moments before. “Besides, I need to track that one. Ahriman will return soon, and who knows what type of mayhem he’ll try to create next time.”

Luciano squinted his eyes. “You, Harlequins, don’t make sense. You’re the bad guys.”

Odysseus huffed. “It is rarely that simple. These days, everyone is the bad guy.” Odysseus leaned over and kissed Luciano’s cheek. “Try not to forget about me while I’m gone.” He saluted Juan before summoning his Keyblade once more. The Keyblade released a flash of light to recreate the white cloak he wore previously. The Keyblade then shot a ray of light that opened a rift to the Lanes Between that he could safely traverse.

Odysseus vanished into the rift, leaving Luciano alone with his father for the first time in years.

Luciano turned to Juan with a scowl. “I guess we have a lot of catching up to do.”

“We do. But first, we should find your companions. I’m aware you didn’t come here alone.”

Luciano nodded. He crossed his arms over his chest while walking across the rooftop to start their search. 

*~*

At the reactor, the Demon Tower hovered over William’s head with the swarm of Shadows coalescing even closer together to prepare their next assault. William’s face was covered in beads of sweat, while blood poured from a wound on his right arm.

The Demon Tower sensed William’s declining strength. The Heartless launched itself towards William for a final strike. 

William shook his head. He wouldn’t allow exhaustion to be the end of him. He tightened his grip on Lost Memory and took a mighty swing. A blade of dark blue energy formed that sliced apart the Demon Tower, demolishing what remained of the Heartless.

Shadows descended from the Heartless blob that faded back into the darkness where they belonged.

William dropped to his knees with Lost Memory fading out. His vision blurred as he struggled to maintain consciousness now. “I guess even my greatness has its limits.” It took every bit of willpower in him to keep himself from passing out.

“Found him!”

“He’s injured!”

William looked over his shoulder to see most of the team coming towards him.

Doron unleashed an immediate “Curaga” spell to restore some of William’s energy and heal his various injuries. The rush of healing magic provided some comfort. It made William moan as he had enough strength now to force himself to stand. 

“Easy there.” Troilus grabbed onto William’s arm to keep him upright. “You’re too hurt to make any major movements alone.

William smirked. “Don’t you baby me, Troilus. I’m perfectly fine.”

“Like hell, you are.” Brendan examined the wound on William’s arm. “It’s not too deep. The magic is allowing it to scab over now, but we should still disinfect then cover it up.”

“Fine, but warn me before. Son of a bitch!” William yelped. Brendan acted quickly in applying the first aid to clean the wound before grabbing gauze from his pack. “Seriously! You could’ve warned me.”

“This is more fun.”

William whispered a curse as Brendan finished the patchwork. It was then that he noticed Eva amongst them but also noticed the fox mask on her head. “Of course. I hate myself for not realizing that you worked for the Proteas.”

Eva grinned. “Glad that I could surprise even the great William.”

“Even I can have my off days.” William pulled his arm free from Brendan once it was wrapped. “Where’s Luciano? Is he okay?”

They fell silent as none of them knew how to explain that they hadn’t found Luciano yet or feared that Ahriman already attacked him.

However, a streak of light appeared over their heads. A pair of figures descended from the sky, one of which was Luciano and the other being Juan.

Eva brought a fist over her heart with Thomas and Doron repeating the gesture. “Boss!”

Juan mimicked the gesture. “I’m glad you three made it out. We should make our way to base soon.”

“I’ll create the diversion.” Eva retrieved a Gummiphone from her pack. “Ren’s in the area. He’ll become suspicious if these boys suddenly disappear.” She dialed Ren’s number and started to step away to have some distance when she tried to trick Ren.

Meanwhile, Thomas and Doron went away to open a portal to the Protea base.

William pointed in their direction as he looked at Troilus. “They’re Proteas too?”

“Yeah, I just found that out.”

Luciano went over to William and Troilus. “Today is full of surprises. We fought in a Heartless invasion, and I got to face Ahriman again.”

“You did!” Brendan’s eyes darted towards Juan. “Master Juan? Wait! You two look alike.”

“Because they’re father and son, obviously.” William held onto Luciano’s hand. He frowned as he gently squeezed Luciano’s hand. “I’m sorry. I should’ve done more to help you with Ahriman.”

Luciano smiled. “You were too busy fighting Heartless. I can’t blame you for now being around. I was lucky that Odysseus was there.”

“He was?” William said softly.

“He was!” Troilus said, angrily.

“We’re in the clear.” Eva rejoined them. “I convinced Ren that the Order wanted the boys immediately evacuated given the situation. He didn’t question it since they’re too green for continued fights like this.”

Juan nodded. “Perfect. That means we can get off this world before more Order agents arrive for the cleanup and investigation.” Juan looked over to Luciano. “We still have a lot to discuss.”

The smile on Luciano’s face changed as he glared at Juan. “We do.” 

A flash of light opened before them, with Thomas and Doron finishing opening their portal. 

Luciano went over to Thomas. “Did you know?”

Thomas shook his head as he could easily pick up on what Luciano meant. “That you’re related? Nope. I didn’t get recruited after we started rooming together. And it never sounded like that was the reason why they recruited me.”

“Good.” Luciano walked over to the portal with everyone else. William stuck closer to Luciano, keeping a closer watch over Luciano to make up for not being there for the fight.

Eva ensured everyone else crossed the portal first before jumping in last to do a final sweep of the surrounding area before allowing it to close behind her once she safely crossed.

*~*

The desert heat of Agrabah came at them with great intensity compared to the mild climate of Radiant Garden. The weather did nothing to distract people from wandering the bazaars and making plenty of joyous sounds as they went about their day without a single care.

Eva finished renailing the sheets to prevent outside eyes from noticing them inside the rooftop loft.

The Protea base wasn’t exactly what the others expected to see since it looked like an ordinary, vacant loft. Aside from a few pieces of broken furniture and materials, the attic didn’t signal any clue that the Order’s adversaries resided here.

William kicked over an empty box. “I love what you haven’t done with the place. It’s very homeless chic.” 

“Indeed.” Brendan brushed the dust from a crate before using it as a chair for himself. “This can’t be your headquarters? There isn’t any gear here that you could use for spying on anyone.”

“This is only one of our bases,” said Eva. “We use it primarily to lie low without anyone detecting us. Agrabah is a peaceful world, but doesn’t have much to offer the Order like Radiant Garden.”

“Except for the occasional Keyblade Wielder.” Troilus looked over to Eva. “You’re from here, so that means the Order would visit here at least occasionally.”

Eva cracked a smile. She went over to Juan and patted him on the shoulder. “Master Juan is the one who recruited me. He does the more remote missions for the Order since it also allows him to work for the Proteas without raising any suspicions.”

Luciano huffed. “Is that all?”

Juan frowned. “Luciano, we can talk about our situation later. Right now, we need to focus on the problems at hand.”

“That’s right!” Doron pulled a disc from his pack then handed it over to Eva. “We got the files from the Radiant Garden server! Our mole slipped this into my pocket before all the fighting started.”

William raised his eyebrows. He didn’t know that the Proteas were after the Radiant Garden server’s data. There wasn’t enough time for him to copy the data since he wasted more time on his date with Luciano then he originally planned. He would need to get a copy of that too before Eva disposed of the remains.

“Excellent work.” Eva slid the disc into her pocket. “Now, we can get a better idea of what the Order’s funds actually research.”

Luciano found himself drawn to Eva’s comment. He recalled Odysseus bringing up that Master Layla and Master Virgil were up to something else. “Do you have any idea what the Order truly wants?”

“We have clues but nothing solid. The data should point us in the right direction.” Eva crossed her arms over her chest. “All we know is that the Order is really interested in the true origins of Light and Darkness. Their efforts to recover the Foretellers’ copies of the Book of Prophecies failed as the tomes were said to be destroyed. Hence, the Order’s settled on conducting their own investigation through Ansem the Wise’s research.” 

“Not that they’ve given up the search.” Juan shook his head. “Layla and Virgil believe that at least one copy of the Book still exists. They believe with the Book that they can fundamentally restructure the balance of the worlds. My mission for the Order’s been to seek out any hints and recover a Book.”

Troilus shrugged. “Is that such a bad thing? Isn’t that what Keyblade Wielders already do?”

“Never at the scale that they seek.” Juan sighed as he looked to Luciano. “Layla and Virgil wear masks to hide their true personas. They would blindly ensnare the balance of the worlds through their moral compass. It’s why I spent so many years in seclusion from them before they forced me back into their ranks.”

Luciano wondered if the seclusion that Juan spoke of meant of living in Santa Cecilia. There wasn’t a chance to ask since the conversation went further in the second he lost himself in thought.

“They both hide a fundamentalist side,” continued Juan. “Virgil is bad enough, but Layla is on a different level. She doesn’t fear Darkness, but she would use the research to see to its eradication.”

“But that wouldn’t bring balance,” said Troilus. “Darkness and Light are meant to coexist.”

“Correct,” said Juan. “However, that is where the Books of Prophecies come in. Layla hopes that in the text that the Master of Masters recorded something that she could use to eliminate Darkness, or at least, suppress it to where it is no longer a threat to Light.”

William snorted. “I always knew Layla harbored some dark secrets, but she really is nuts.”

“That’s why the Proteas do what we do,” said Thomas. “The Order’s behavior is too aggressive and will repeat the mistakes of the past if we don’t intervene. Which is harder to do with the Harlequins and Ahriman running around now.”

“Ahriman.” William hissed at the mention of the name. “I wish I was there to stop him.”

“I don’t know if you’d be much help,” said Luciano. “I helped Odysseus fight him, and not even together could we do much damage to him.” William listened carefully as Luciano briefly described the fight. Not that there was much to share, but William wanted to see how kindly Luciano spoke of Odysseus. “Not even someone as strong as Odysseus could do much against Ahriman, which makes sense after Ahriman confirmed that he summoned all the Heartless that attacked Radiant Garden.”

Juan leaned against a nearby wall. “Which makes him our greatest enemy at the moment and the one we know the least about. At least with the Harlequins, we can see them attempting to follow in the steps of Master Xehanort. And the Order’s ridiculous efforts to see the destruction of Darkness is apparent. We don’t even know where to start with Ahriman.”

“What happens next?” asked Brendan. “Are you going to wipe our memories and send us back to the Order?”

“Or you can formally join the Proteas and work alongside us!” suggested Doron.

William huffed. “Do we have much of a choice?”

“Not really, but you’ll like working with us.” Eva glanced over to Juan. “I’ll start reviewing the data. If I find anything critical, I’ll notify you.” Juan nodded, then Eva left with Doron and Brendan following her lead.

Thomas dropped to a nearby mat and closed his eyes. “We might as well rest now before we return to the Academy. No point staying awake, either.” He grabbed a nearby sheet and pulled it over himself as he quickly drifted off to sleep.

Troilus chuckled. “He falls asleep too easily. But he also has a point. I’ll see if I can find somewhere a little cooler since the desert air is drying out my scales.”

“Wait for me. I’ve always wanted to visit the Arabian baths.” William extended a hand out to Luciano. “Care to join us? I’ll even soap up your back” He glanced over to Juan, who didn’t appear to pay them much attention. “Or are you going to deal with those daddy issues you’re clearly harboring?”

Luciano cracked a smile as he saw how he could count on William’s humor. He squeezed onto William’s hand for a second before pulling away. “I got something to deal with. You go enjoy yourself.” 

“It’ll be a lot harder without you around.” William winked before chasing after Troilus, who already went downstairs.

Luciano turned to find Juan disappearing behind a sheet. He heard Thomas’s snoring and knew to follow Juan instead of risk poking the sleeping bear.

*~*

Outside, the loft overlooked the city with them having a stunning view of the palace too. The bronze, dome structure, and white walls appeared even more massive than what Luciano imagined when he saw pictures of this world.

Juan stood at the edge of the roof. His blue robes blew against the wind as he watched the people going about their day. “Lucio, I want you to know that leaving you and your mother wasn’t a choice I made out of spite. I wanted to protect you.”

“From the Order?” Luciano stepped to the edge too. He stood nearly to Juan’s shoulders now. The last time he was around his father, he barely reached his waist. “Did they find you back home?”

Juan nodded. “Yes. I left the Order not longer after attaining the Mark of Mastery. I became disillusioned with Layla and Virgil’s agenda, so I decided to live a secluded life back in my homeworld. Then I met your mother, and we had you.” A smirk grew on his face. “How foolish I was to think I could live a peaceful life. I abandoned the Keyblade except to defeat the occasional Heartless that wandered into our world. Things were wonderful.”

“Until you accidentally found my Keyblade. You were still a child when you wandered into our bedroom and found my Keyblade. You triggered a Bequeathing and proven yourself worthy. I knew it would be only a matter of time before you fell onto the Order’s radar. Especially someone like you.” 

Juan stepped from the edge and held Luciano’s hand to pull him down too. “Ever since you were born, I sensed a bright Light within your heart. A Light that felt almost equivalent to the Princesses of Heart. Your mother was aware of everything, too, we agreed that I should disappear before the Order found us together. And it was while I rejoined the Order that I met with the Proteas, eventually taking over as the leader. It allowed me to keep a closer watch on Layla and Virgil, keeping them from finding you.”

“Why even bother?” asked Luciano. “They found me either way. If Layla and Virgil are obsessed with the Light as you say, then they would’ve sensed my power.”

“But it would’ve been a greater risk if we were together or if they found you while you were too young. They would have suspected that I did something to you, and they would likely fear I intended to make you a weapon against them. If they found you alone, then they would think of you more as someone naturally born with great potential.” 

Luciano rolled his eyes. He didn’t exactly enjoy Juan’s explanation, but it was also one that he could see the logic behind. “These are dangerous times, and everyone is the bad guy. Odysseus said as much.”

Juan frowned. He encountered Odysseus a few times when Odysseus first enrolled at the Academy as Virgil’s apprentice. Although, he didn’t expect Odysseus to serve the Harlequins, which worried him considering how close Odysseus attempted to get with Luciano. “I know enough about Odysseus that I would take those words to heart,” said Juan. “Those we believe are our allies can easily turn to our enemies. And the same is true vice versa.”

“So should I consider you an enemy, dad?” 

“Didn’t you already feel that way when you first saw me?”

Luciano bit his lip. He did say as much earlier today. He spoke of being convinced for years that Juan died when he disappeared. And seeing his father leading the Proteas, it made everything far more complicated than the relationship drama he had with William and Odysseus or the fact he now had Ahriman breathing down his neck.

“I’m not sure what to think anymore,” Luciano said, sadly.

Juan stared up to the setting sun with the temperature in the desert dropping fast. He closed his eyes and ignored the gnawing pain in his heart. “I can’t blame you for that. But...I promise I will do what I can to make things right for you. And for your mother’s memory too.”

“You better.” Luciano walked back into the loft. While he had no intention to follow through with his threat, he didn’t want Juan to think all was so easily forgiven. If nothing else, he saw the use in working with his father for the moment. 

He found himself questioning the Order too much now with everyone fearing Layla’s intentions. He didn’t know what to make of the Harlequins, thanks to Odysseus. And the Proteas had the bad blood of his father leading them.

Everything was getting messier now. Luciano wished everything could stay simple, but he feared he would have to make a significant choice soon as he felt storm clouds on the horizon.

And that storm hungered to destroy everything in its path.


	5. Mark of Deception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all! Thanks for sticking with me so far. I hope you enjoy the chapter.  
> Also, there's a sex scene towards the end. :)

The temperature drop in Agrabah came quicker than anticipated. 

Luciano bundled himself in a thick blanket while he sat at the edge of the loft’s roof. He looked at the bazaar to find most of the people retreating home as torches illuminated the streets. It brought a gentle warmth that made him a little homesick. The desire to return home before things became complicated distracted him from current troubles.

He thought of his mom’s cooking and all the songs his dad would play on his guitar. He thought of life in their village, where he played with all his friends and explored the forest. If only he never picked up the Keyblade.

“There you are.”

William’s voice pierced the haze of Luciano’s thoughts. 

William walked across the roof and sat beside him. William returned from the baths, feeling refreshed, and smelling of lilies. He found himself staring at the palace, where the reflections of the torches gave the palace a gentle glow. “It’s pretty cozy here. Very different from Neverland. Also, a lot fewer pirates.”

Luciano chuckled. “I didn’t know there was still a pirate problem in Neverland.”

“Oh yeah. Well, not so much in London, but the island still has pirates. Although the Lost Boys said that these new pirates aren’t as bad as Captain Hook’s gang, so I guess that’s a win.”

Luciano shrugged. “Those names don’t mean much to me. I don’t get the context.”

William smirked. “I guess you’re terrible at studying your worlds’ history.” William wrapped his arm around Luciano’s shoulders. He pulled Luciano into a hug as he kept staring out into the distance. “How did the talk go? Did you release all your anger on your daddy? All cured of your daddy issues?”

“Release isn’t the right word for it. But I guess I did get rid of some of my issues. Not sure where that leaves him and me.”

“That’s tomorrow’s problem. And it’s not like we’re in a rush to fix any of this.”

Luciano nodded as he rested his head against William’s chest. “Yeah, I guess that’s true too.”

William licked his bottom lip. He caressed his fingers against Luciano’s chin, gently nudging his head so that they could face each other. Luciano looked up as William leaned closer. “You can talk to me. You know that, right?”

Luciano tilted his head slightly. “I know.” 

Their lips touched with a soft kiss. Luciano stopped breathing for a second as he pressed his lips closer to William. The pop echoed across the roof when they parted. Luciano returned to resting his head against William’s chest as they continued to look at the city in silence.

*~*

The morning sun rose, and the head returned to the city as everyone gathered inside the loft. Juan purchased some food for them. It wasn’t anything grand: only fruit and bread. They gleefully accepted the food since they didn’t have much to eat since they left Radiant Garden.

Brendan sliced his apricot. “So, what’s our plan? Are we returning to the Academy, or do we have a new assignment?”

“The Academy.” Eva brought a piece of bread to her mouth. “I can’t risk delaying your return without raising suspicions from Layla. Even taking this detour to Agrabah will make her question my decisions. But if I don’t bring you back soon, then she may think of us all as traitors.

“Aren’t we, though?” William squeezed his plum onto his dry bread to add a bit of moisture and flavor. “You basically drafted us into the Proteas. Master Layla has every reason to vaporize us the next time she sees us.”

Doron shrugged. “You get used to the danger when working as a double agent.”

Thomas rolled his eyes. He chewed his bread. “William’s right. Knowing how inquisitive Master Layla is, things are more complicated now after everything that’s happened. It’ll be harder for us to play nice with the Order when we’re waiting for the shoes to drop and their masks to come off.”

“Fuck!” Troilus folded his arms onto his lap. “This is really getting messy. Here I thought becoming a Keyblade Warrior meant smooth sailing in life. What have we dragged ourselves into?”

“Do not despair, men.” Juan adjusted his posture as he sat on his knees. “The Keyblade chose you all for your potential. You are capable of overcoming anything Layla and Virgil are plotting, and restoring balance to the worlds.”

Luciano left his food on his plate as he closed his eyes. “It really sounds like you want us to do your dirty work for you.”

Juan frowned, while the others stared at Luciano with wide-eyes.

Juan sighed. “I don’t mean that at all, Luciano. I was only attempting to encourage you and your companions.”

“Yeah, I get it.” Luciano picked at his bread. “We’re helping the Proteas only because we don’t know what’s up with the Order and the Harlequins, or Ahriman. We’re not exactly in the position to make enemies with everyone.”

“So,” said Juan, “I take it that we can trust you.”

Luciano avoided making eye contact with Juan. “For now.”

William whistled at Luciano. “You can be a real frost prince.”

Brendan groaned. He turned to Eva. “How are we returning to the Academy? We can’t exactly open another gate without raising any suspicions. And our Gummi Ships are still in Radiant Garden.”

“Not anymore.” Eva licked her fingers clean of the fruit juice as she grabbed a remote from her pocket. “Auto-pilot. All senior Order members have a remote device that affects any Order-owned Gummi Ships. I brought had them docked here.”

“Good thinking, instructor,” Thomas said as he licked a stray bead of juice. “We can keep suspicions to a minimum.”

“Back to the Order, we go then,” said Troilus. 

Juan nodded. “Be careful, all of you. Now that you’re aware of the wickedness within the Order, you will see an enemy in every shadow and daylight. You are no longer ignorant children, and that makes your position a dangerous one as you now can put an end to the disorder. I wish you all well.”

“Thanks, pops.” William raised his glass of water.

Luciano rolled his eyes. As much as he appreciated William’s humor, Luciano found it annoying in this case since it involved his father. “Yeah. Thanks, pops,” he said softly. 

*~*

The journey across the stars took some time before they returned to the Land of Departure. The Gummi Ships reached the docks with the engineers calling on them to meet with Master Layla.

Eva urged caution as she led them into the castle, up to Master Layla’s office.

Master Layla’s office was reminiscent of her private dining room. She had an assortment of mahogany furniture with the walls painted light-gold. There were two sets of bookcases built into the walls that ascended the ceiling with every row crammed with books.

Master Layla sat comfortably at her desk with Master Virgil standing beside her. Eva stood with the boys in front of the desk as they properly delivered their reports.

“Troubling.” Master Layla folded her hands onto her desk as she leaned closer. Her green eyes appeared to disregard their presence as though she focused on a far off destination. “I do not like the sounds of this Ahriman. Luciano, are you certain that he is the one responsible for summoning the Heartless to attack Radiant Garden?”

Luciano nodded while keeping the rest of his body perfectly still. “Yes, Master.” While his gut feared that Master Layla might see through their half-truths, he instead projected nervous energy since he never been in the presence of both Master Layla and Master Virgil before. At least, that is how his actions were interpreted. “Ahriman confirmed that he summoned the Heartless. And...um, he did so because of me.”

Master Virgil squinted his eyes. “What do you mean? Do you have some pre-existing relationship with this Ahriman?”

“None to my knowledge, Master. I never met Ahriman until Traverse Town, at least, I believe, as such since he’s only appeared to me while wearing his Black Coat.”

Master Layla nodded. “It is possible this Ahriman is drawn to your power. If that is the case, we must tighten security on the Academy as a precaution. We cannot afford for Ahriman to surprise us with a Heartless invasion.”

Eva nodded. “I can begin the process to strengthen our security. I’ll also extend a warning to all of our operatives outside of the Academy as an added security measure.”

“A wise choice,” said Master Layla. “In the meantime, I’ll have my assistants search our records for any references to Ahriman. Many enemies of the Light have worn the Black Coat. His description may match that of another foe.” Master Layla pushed herself out of her chair. Her dress swayed slightly as she approached the windows behind her to see out into the courtyard of the Academy. She watched as the students and staff roamed freely, enjoying the beautiful day. “We mustn’t allow this demon to ruin the peace we’ve worked so hard to maintain.” Her tone grew harsher with every word she spoke. “We will do whatever it takes to extinguish this vermin from across all the realms.”

William gulped as he found himself almost wanting to piss his pants since he hadn’t seen Master Layla demonstrate such anger before.

“And, what of the Harlequins and Proteas?” asked Troilus. “How shall we handle them?”

Master Layla continued to stare out to the courtyard. “You said that Odysseus attacked you in Twilight Town. And that you and Brendan battled a Harlequin at Radiant Garden, and that Eva slew the clown. We continue with our previous plan of defeating the opposers. The Harlequins already attacked, so there is no need for us to hesitate any longer. I will issue a kill order on any Harlequin.”

A chorus of gasps echoed across the office. 

Master Virgil turned. “Is that wise, Layla? What of our previous objective to undercover their plots?”

“And what of the Proteas?” asked Brendan. “We don’t know of their involvement.”

“We shall continue our quest to uncover their plots, however,” said Master Layla, “we can no longer take any risks with the Harlequins. They attacked our members and a facility under our protection. It is time that we take matters more seriously. As for the Proteas, we must assume the worst from them, too, without any evidence to prove otherwise. They are to be arrested on sight.” She turned to stare at Master Virgil. “Your former pupil is involved with the Harlequins. Out of respect for you, my friend, I will allow you to bring him in alive so that we can interrogate him.”

Master Virgil gulped. “Understood.”

Master Layla turned to everyone else. The storm in her green eyes dispursed along with the red hue that burned across her face. Her features soften once more, as did the tone of her voice. “As for you, I wish to thank you for your service to the Order,” she said softly. “You have done more than I would’ve asked of any new recruits. For your dedication, you are dismissed from service for a week to recover, train, and fortify your minds for your future missions. Be well.”

They bowed to Master Layla before departing from her office. They remained utterly silent. They understood that their positions in the Order became far more dangerous as their ties to the Proteas made them an enemy of Master Layla. And given her determination to see opposition to the Order exterminated, they knew that she was an enemy that they would soon regret making. 

*~*

Everyone scattered as they still had much to consider, given everything that’s happened with such a short window of time. Master Layla’s declaration of war proved the most horrifying when not considering the threat of Ahriman.

Within the early hours, William took advantage of the distance from everyone to climb the mountain path that led to a secluded part of the world. Most students and staff avoided that path since it was a bit more hazardous from its many narrow stretches. However, William always was a reckless boy that enjoyed the challenge. 

He made it through the rocky path without much trouble. He leaned against the mountain and stared out to the sunset, allowing the sunlight to bathe his pale skin.

“You’re right about Luciano. He is rather precious.”

William smirked. He tilted his head to find Odysseus standing beside him now. “Did you notice his lips taste like strawberries?”

“I did.” Odysseus folded his arms over his chest. “How did you know I kissed him? He doesn’t strike me as the type to kiss and tell.”

“No, but I could smell you on him.” William brushed his head against Odysseus’s biceps. “You have a very distinct smell too. Lucky for you, I’m not the jealous type and don’t mind sharing.”

William ceased his cutesy behavior. His eyes darkened, and his muscles tensed. “I thank you for protecting him from Ahriman. And I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help.”

“You were busy.” Odysseus growled at the memory of Ahriman. “That bastard. I can’t wait to pound his face into the dirt.”

“Careful now. You sound like Troilus when he talks about you.” William spun and looked up to face Odysseus. “And the data from Twilight Town? Anything useful?”

Odysseus nodded. “It covers our bases, giving us the path we need to steer the Harlequins to their proper future. And, it also points to something interesting about the x-Blade.”

Before William could probe Odysseus for more answers, the jingle of a keychain captured their attention. They looked towards the edge of the cliff as Master Virgil descended from the mountaintop with his Keyblade, Fenrir, drawn. The Keyblade resembled that of a giant key with a white cloth wrapped around its base with a pendent of a wolf’s face dangling as the Keychain.

Master Virgil raised Fenrir towards Odysseus, his grip tightening. “You are a fool to come here, Odysseus.” He approached them with Odysseus summoning End of Pain to his hand. Then, Master Virgil dismissed Fenrir as his blue eyes turned amber. “Have you learned nothing from all these years of training? You’ve been exposed!”

Odysseus huffed as he tossed his Keyblade aside. He approached Master Virgil without even the slightest bit of fear that Master Virgil would draw his Keyblade once more. “Like I care. We knew this would happen sooner or later. You’ve been playing chicken with Master Layla for too many years, Virgil. And your indecision caused a new player to appear to the board.”

William nodded. “This Ahriman is a problem for the Harlequins. He can ruin everything we’ve planned.”

Master Virgil rolled his eyes. “Ahriman.” He hissed the name. “If nothing else, his presence means we need to act fast. Master Layla’s decision to execute our comrades means we no longer have the luxury of time.” Master Virgil folded his hands behind his back as he smirked at them. “We need to destroy the Order.”

“Duh,” said William. “So does that mean you’re ready to spring Project R? All the dolls should be ready to go now. We can create plenty of havoc with them.”

“Yes. We can’t afford to wait any longer.” Master Virgil pointed at Odysseus. “Ready our forces. I want our warriors ready to invade by week’s end.”

Odysseus smirked. “Fun. I always wanted to lead an invasion.”

Master Virgil ignored Odysseus’s boasts to look at William. “As for you. I want you to keep a close watch on Luciano.”

“Oh?” William smiled. “See something you like, boss?”

“Potential. And a threat.” Master Virgil stepped towards the edge of the cliff. “That boy’s light shines too bright. If we could use him, then we could crush Layla. However, if he stays loyal to the Order, then Layla has a potential game-changer at her disposal. I would see that boy dead before that happens.”

“It won’t,” William and Odysseus blurted.

Master Virgil raised his eyebrows. He found it odd to see them agreeing about Luciano’s safety. He smirked. Their closeness could become an advantage. “See, that doesn’t. And, Odysseus, leave this world immediately before Layla’s spies find you.” He disappeared in a flash of darkness.

Odysseus groaned then took a deep breath. “I cannot wait until we feed him to the Heartless.” He took hold of William’s hand. He pulled William into his arms and brought their lips together for a rough kiss. William pressed his body against Odysseus, sliding their tongues into each other’s mouths before parting. “Take care of yourself,” Odysseus moaned as he spoke. “And Luciano.”

William licked his lips. “You got it, big boy. I’ll take real good care of him until you get back.”

Odysseus leaned over to kiss William once more before vanishing into the darkness.

William stuffed a hand down his pants and grabbed his dick, making himself moan. He leaned against the mountain. “However, will I take care of this?” A smirk spread across his face. “I wonder if Luciano would like to spend the night.” 

*~*

The next morning, Brendan appeared at Eva’s apartment door as they made a promise to speak. Eva allowed him inside with him seeing what a superior officer’s quarters looked like, which was a significant upgrade from the dorms. 

Officers still didn’t have proper kitchens in the quarters, just like the students, but she had a kitchenette setup that allowed her to conduct some cooking. She also had a cozy-looking living room set up with a work station next to her couch and bookcases, while a sheer curtain blocked off her bedroom area. 

“I’m glad you agreed to speak with me, instructor,” said Brendan. “I wanted to reviewー”

Eva brought her index finger to her lips. She summoned Three Wishes and pointed it towards her door. A ray of light shot out that soon swallowed the entire apartment with a transparent sheen. “At least wait until I finish putting up a security dome before you open your big mouth. It’s common knowledge that the Order has every room bugged.”

Brendan stepped back. “Really? Oh...that explains why the Staxon brothers keep getting detention.”

“No, they’re a special case.” Eva gestured to the couch. They took a seat together. “We only have five minutes before the dome fades. Any longer than that would cause everyone to become suspicious of us.” 

“Understood. Have you decoded all the data?”

Eva nodded. “Most of it goes way above my head. Juan and our other agents will have a field day deciphering the scientists’ jargon. However, the conclusions of the report prove the most enlightening.”

“Then, they have uncovered the origins of Light and Darkness?”

“Not truly, but their data proves they’re close to a major breakthrough in that field. Remember, they’ve built the research around the idea of the Darkness manifesting sentience with this sentient Darkness appearing during the Age of Fairy Tales.”

Brendan nodded. “We know that from our studies. The Master of Masters and his Foretellers confirmed as much when they faced Sora.”

“Right, but the report’s conclusions are a bit more complicated. It points to not only an equivalent existing for the Light, but there is the possibility that these sentient forces are not simply manifestations of the elements but a true personification of these domains.”

Brendan squinted his eyes. “Meaning what exactly? Are you saying that there is a living embodiment of Light and Darkness?”

“An aspect of them,” continued Eva, “that one could argue manifests as gods.”

“Gods,” whispered Brendan. “Like those of Olympus?”

“Only far older and far more powerful. These aspects of Light and Darkness would predate anything from the worlds, likely predating the Master of Masters. We’re talking the possibility that these aspects co-existed with Kingdom Hearts since the beginning of all existence.”

Brendan’s jaw dropped. “Incredible. To think something like that would exist is shocking, but also...if such forces exist, only a fool would seek them out. The forces of nature are not known for being peaceful.”

“Agreed.” Eva looked at her timer, which showed only seconds remaining. “If this is true, then Layla and Virgil seeking these gods could put all the worlds in danger. There is no telling what could happen if these gods manifest now or if someone were to draw power directly from them.”

“That sounds like an apocalypse waiting to happen. We have to stop them!” Brendan jumped to his feet as the protective dome fell. He managed to stop himself from speaking anything else that could put them in danger.

Eva nodded as she patted Brendan’s shoulder. “You’re right. We must defeat the Harlequins before they can do any further harm.” She winked, signaling their true objectives.

Brendan smiled. “We will. Thank you for discussing these matters with me, instructor. I’ll leave you be.” 

*~*

On the training field, Troilus bashed a metal dummy with his Keyblade. Sparks of light scattered across the armor as he worked on perfecting a four-hit combo. So far, Troilus only managed to perform three-hits in perfect sync with his timing for the fourth hit, never coming out exactly how he wanted. 

He growled, stepping backward to apply some distance. He lunged and swung Abyssal Tide forward to strike the dummy once. He spun to deliver his next blow then swung across. He dragged one foot across the ground then lunged to deliver another forward strike. The blow struck the dummy, but it still wasn’t perfect. 

The stopwatch beeped on Troilus’s wrist. He glanced at his time. “Damn it! Still a second off.” Troilus dropped his Keyblade and fell onto his ass. “What is wrong with me? It shouldn’t be this hard for me to perfect this technique.”

“Oh, no! Did the little merman lose his mojo?”

Doron leaned forward so that Troilus saw his face upsidedown. Doron gave a cheeky grin, but Troilus responded with an upward punch.

Doron flipped away. He started to pout. “Meanie! And here I was coming to help you out.”

Troilus jumped to his feet. “If you wanted to help me, then you wouldn’t take this as your chance to mock me. We need to gear up to kill Harlequins.”

Doron folded his hands behind his back. “Ah. So this is about your desire to have a rematch with Odysseus. Is losing a fight really that big of a deal? Ahriman kicked my ass, and you don’t see my vowing eternal vengeance.”

Troilus clenched his fists until his knuckles turned pale. He stretched his hand, conjuring Abyssal Tide back to him. “You don’t understand, Doron. You never could. Not when you led a pain-free life.”

“Pain-free is a bit of an overstatement.” Doron moved his hands behind his head. “I got my fair share of issues too growing up in the Kingdom of Corona. Why don’t you share yours with me so that I can help? What is with you needing to crush everyone in a fight?”

Troilus closed his eyes. “That’s the way of my family. I come from a family of warriors that lost our honor because we were falsely accused of betraying King Triton.” He shook his head as he tossed Abyssal Tide at the dummy, piercing its metal chest with a single blow. “We were banished then decimated in a Heartless attack. I only survived because I manifested a Keyblade so Triton sent me here for training, and to be rid of the last trace of my family.”

Doron frowned for a moment before bursting with a big grin. He jumped over to Troilus, giving him a big hug from behind. “I get it now. This isn’t so much about you, but your family. You want to rebuild their honor by any means necessary.” Doron rested his head against Troilus’s back. “But it doesn’t mean you have to dive headfirst into any and every fight. Obsessing with this rematch with Odysseus will only put you at greater risk and blind you when you actually get your chance to face him again. If you’re going to win then, you need to approach this fight with a clearer head and strategy.”

Troilus patted Doron’s hand. “I know. But I can’t help how I feel. I have to crush Odysseus. To prove myself.”

“I know that, big guy.” Doron squeezed Troilus a little tighter. “At least let me help you then. I’m not going to lose my friend because his ego got him in too deep of trouble that he couldn’t pull himself out of.”

Troilus huffed. “Well, I guess I could use a hand.”

“And lucky for you that I got two!” laughed Doron.

*~*

Luciano sat on the couch in the living room of their dorm. The space was a little cramped, considering the students’ dorms weren’t huge, and the Order had yet to relocate them to their apartments. Luciano remained rooming with Thomas for the near future, sharing the tight living space and the same bathroom. Their only comfort was their separate bedrooms.

Thomas sat on a chair with a bento box from the mess hall. He chowed away at his rice since he crushed everything else in the box. “Did you have a chance to talk to Brendan yet? He seems pretty...jittery from the talk he had with Eva.”

“Not yet.” Luciano brushed a hand through his freshly showered hair. He made sure to scrub every inch of himself until it was perfectly pristine. He talked with William earlier that day, and they decided to have a sleepover. “I was busy with everything else. And, are you sure that you’re not bothered with me kicking you out for the night?”

“It’s cool.” Thomas finished the last of his rice. “Doron and Troilus offered me their couch. Plus, Troilus wants some help with his training. He’s really got a grudge against Odysseus.”

Luciano bit his lip. The Odysseus problem was something that Luciano forgot and hadn’t revisited for a while now. Luciano didn’t find himself so much as bothered with Odysseus’s ideas of the Harlequins and the Order since talking with Juan and Master Layla. Instead, it was the mutual attraction that made it more complicated with the sparks between Luciano and William.

And now, William was spending the night. In light of several near-death experiences, Luciano didn’t feel the desire to move at a glacial pace. He wanted to slam on the gas. But, there was the Odysseus problem to consider too. He closed his eyes. Things were getting very messy, and he didn’t know how to make sense of anything.

A knock at the door cut those thoughts.

Thomas took his empty bento box to the trash can. “And that would be Prince Disaster.” Thomas grabbed his duffel bag before opening the door to find William waiting on the other side. “Speak of the devil, there he is.”

William smirked. “Nice to see you too, Thomas. Shouldn’t you be taking a nap somewhere?”

“I know you meant that as an insult, but that’s what I intend to do.” Thomas switched spots with William. “Behave, you two. Keep that mess in your own room!” He slammed the door behind him.

Luciano peaked over the couch with William approaching. William tossed his bag onto the floor and leaned over to kiss Luciano’s lips. “Good evening,” William whispered.

“Evening.”

William jumped onto the couch and rolled onto Luciano, pinning him against the cushions. Luciano moaned against William’s full weight. His legs spread slightly, making it easier for William to slip between him.

Their lips met, and tongues danced. Luciano slipped his arms around William’s neck. Their bodies pressed tightly, with William grinding his hips and groins against Luciano. William pulled away from Luciano’s lips to kiss and licked his neck. 

Luciano’s back arched with a soft moan escaping his lips. He pulled William closer, wrapping his legs around William’s hips. Neither his imagination or hand did justice to this moment. Everything felt like it was on fire from every kiss and every touch. 

William chuckled before gently nibbling on Luciano’s earlobe. “You’re an eager one. Does this mean we should take this to the bedroom?”

Luciano’s eyes rolled when William licked his earlobe. “Please.”

“As you wish.” William rolled off Luciano and carried him into the bedroom. William closed the door behind him before throwing Luciano onto the bed. 

In seconds, clothes flew in every direction.

William licked his lips. Their school uniform and Luciano’s oversized clothing did his body no justice. William didn’t expect Luciano to have so much lean muscle hidden away behind all that clothing, including the one between Luciano’s legs.

William strolled across the room like a panther. He moved between Luciano’s legs, kissing every inch of skin as he worked his way up to Luciano’s lips. Their tongues soon danced once more with Luciano moaning and melting into the sheets. 

“Tell me if I’m going too fast,” whispered William.

Luciano nodded. 

William’s lips traveled lower. He kissed Luciano’s chest then sucked each nipple. Luciano’s legs spread a little wider from the sensitivity of having his nipples played with for the first time. Luciano closed his eyes as he pushed William even lower. Soon, William’s lips touched Luciano’s abs than his hips, and finally, Luciano moaned loudly when William started to suck his dick.

Luciano grabbed onto the sheets and wept with excitement. It took every bit of self-control he had not to climax immediately. He was already a virgin; he didn’t need to look so pathetic by coming instantly. 

William’s head sank as he swallowed Luciano’s dick. While not as big or thick as Odysseus’s dick, Luciano still had a good-sized dick that tickled William’s throat. His tongue licked along Luciano’s length to make Luciano twitch in his mouth. He could taste something a little salty and sweet against his tongue. 

William pulled his head from Luciano’s dick and licked his lips. He forgot how fun it was to play with a virgin. He went down on Luciano again, sucking Luciano for a few minutes until Luciano was begging him to stop.

“Fine.” William brushed the saliva from his mouth. “Shall I work on your ass next?”

Luciano nodded as he spread his legs a little more.

William went down again. This time, he lifted Luciano’s legs a little higher to see Luciano’s hole. Unlike Odysseus, only a few hairs grew, making it a smoother surface for William. Not that William carried either way. He happily buried his face into Luciano’s ass, wiggling his tongue to tease the hole.

“Holy shit!” Luciano covered his mouth to soften his scream.

William chuckled while continuing to work his magic on Luciano’s hole. He blew cool air against the hole, sending a shiver down Luciano’s spine before licking the hole again. Luciano’s fingers dug onto William’s hair as Luciano pushed his face closer. William almost couldn’t breathe, not that he minded it. He would happily die between Luciano’s legs. 

After a few minutes of teasing, William finally pulled away. He kissed Luciano, leaving Luciano spiraling in a sex-induced daze, before retreating to the living room for a moment. His own erection bouncing against his legs with his every step as pre-cum drooled from the slit. He grabbed a bottle of lubricant from his bag before slamming the door behind him again.

William slicked the lube onto his fingers before moving to tease Luciano’s hole again. He laid on the bed with Luciano, kissing him softly on the neck. “Don’t forget to breathe. And tell me if it's too much.”

Luciano gasped as William slid the first finger inside of him. His body trembled for the intrusion, but at the same time, William’s fingers worked a dazzling spell. It only hurt for the first minute or two; then, he started to feel some pleasure. 

“Okay,” whispered Luciano. He released his tight grip on the sheets and spread his arms out as William added another finger. The pain returned, but with several deep breaths, it started to subside again.

Luciano moaned. His hand reached out to grab onto William’s drooling cock. William moaned into Luciano’s ear as Luciano began to softly stroke him. He returned the favor by wiggling his fingers inside of Luciano’s ass.

They gasped and moaned, feeling their hearts beating faster. Their lips found each other again as they remained in this position, pleasuring each other with their hands for a while. 

“Whenever you’re ready.” William kissed Luciano’s cheek.

Luciano nodded. 

William slowly slid his fingers out of Luciano’s hole. He positioned himself flat on his back, allowing his erection to display itself proudly. “It’ll be easier if you ride me that way you’re in control.”

“Really.” Luciano climbed onto William’s lap with his erection rubbing against his ass. He took the lube and began to rub it onto William’s dick. “Or is it that you want me to do all the work now?”

“A little of both.” William blew Luciano a kiss. “We can switch up the positions next time. I’ll even let you top me.”

“Good.” Luciano gasped as he pressed the tip of William’s dick against his hole. He paused for a moment since he hadn’t expected that type of pain. It didn’t compare to the beating that he took from Ahriman or the Heartless, but it still wasn’t a pleasant one.

Luciano pushed a little more and remembered his breathing. Eventually, his body relaxed enough to allow more of William to slide inside. He pressed his hands onto William’s hard chest as he slid nearly down to the base. “Oh, fuck.” 

William kept smiling and moved his hands onto Luciano’s hips. “It’s okay. Take it easy. You’re in control.”

“I know.” Luciano moved his hips slightly, which made William’s dick angle itself slightly to press against his prostate. With the bundle of nerves touched, Luciano surrendered to lust. His hips started to pick up speed, and his moans got even louder.

William’s eyes rolled as he felt Luciano’s anal muscles clench. The muscles squeezed around his dick, almost like a vice-grip. The tightness was unlike anything William experienced in years, and it was one that William couldn’t wait until he got the chance to break open.

Their moans echoed against the walls with sweat pouring down their bodies. Semen poured from Luciano’s dick, coating William’s chest, and pubic hair. The lube got messier, too, with the slapping of Luciano’s ass and William’s hips joining their moans. 

“Fuck,” groaned William.

“Fuck,” cried Luciano.

Luciano’s body trembled as he shot cum across William’s chest, all the way to his neck. William groaned as he grabbed Luciano’s hips. He lifted Luciano then brought him back to his base, moving Luciano a little quicker now until he reached climax too. His dick slid out from Luciano with his semen coating the sheets instead. 

Luciano collapsed onto William, resting his head against William’s shoulder. William had one arm wrapped around Luciano as he pulled them closer. They breathed heavily as sweat, semen, and lube left them a sticky mess. 

William chuckled. “Wow. That was hot.”

“Yeah.” Luciano closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, breathing in William’s musky scent. “We should get cleaned up.”

“Clean up. Yeah,” William babbled. “Or we can do that again?”

Luciano smirked. “One more time also sounds good.”

William rolled onto Luciano with them starting to kiss again. Luciano wrapped his arms and legs around William, pulling him closer as he could feel William getting hard all over again.

*~*

Luciano woke up that morning, both rested and exhausted. His eyes felt the need to close and return to the comfort of his pillow, but his body felt far too restless. Even the dull aching from his ass wasn’t persuasive enough to keep him in bed.

He rolled onto his side, expecting to find William only to see it was empty. He pulled himself up, the covers sliding off his torso. He found a couple pieces of William’s clothes on the floor. A warmth spread across his chest that left his skin buzzing. Then, he recalled he wasn’t alone.

The shuffling of footsteps echoed outside his bedroom door. He considered the possibility that William was only in the bathroom, or Thomas returned. Either way, he knew he’d have to face the day sooner or later.

Luciano’s feet touched the floor. He grabbed his clothes and covered his naked body.

Brushing his curls with his fingers, Luciano attempted to make himself look somewhat presentable. “Don’t judge me, Thomas. We had a loー”

Luciano gasped. Instead of seeing either Thomas or William, Luciano found a figure in a Black Coat standing in his living room.

The eerie laugh echoed across the dorm. Ahriman found his way here.

“How?” whispered Luciano.

Ahriman spun around as he performed a dramatic bow. “It wasn’t hard, pretty light. Your radiance lit my way here.”

Luciano threw his arm to summon Divewing. “What! You shouldn’t be here.” He shook his head. “Where’s William and Thomas?”

Ahriman put a hand to his face. “Thomas? The magical one, right? Don’t know. Don’t care.” A chuckle escaped from the hood. “As for William.” Ahriman pulled his hood down. 

Divewing fell to the ground with it disappearing in sparks of light. Luciano fell against the wall with his body trembling, and his breathing becoming inconsistent.

The hood came down with Ahriman showing his face. Instead of seeing the face of a monster, Luciano found himself staring at a twisted version of William’s face. William’s golden eyes turned dark with his blue veins almost bulging from his skin.

Ahriman flashed across the room to pin Luciano against the wall. “We have a lot to discuss, pretty light.” Ahriman licked Luciano’s chin. “Lucky for us that we have all the time in the world.”

Darkness swallowed them as Ahriman captured Luciano, dragging him to parts unknown.


	6. Mark of the Captor

Pain coursed throughout Luciano’s body. His mind felt hazy, and his body felt weak as everything appeared as a blur. He fought the haze to recover what he could. The memories of the night he spent with William disappeared in a flash. The beautiful night they spent together turned into a nightmare when he recalled Ahriman’s reveal.

The shock forced Luciano’s eyes open.

Luciano found himself awakening in a dank room. He attempted to move only to find his wrists and legs bound with dark chains, preventing any type of escape. He extended a hand out as he attempted to manifest his Keyblade, but only a few sparks appeared before fading out. He found himself virtually powerless. 

The dank room showed nothing to him to signify a location. He heard nothing outside of the walls that could help him piece anything together. All that he found were countless wooden beams and dust covering every inch of the place. A mild breeze blew in through the cracks on the wooden walls, providing some mercy from the outside heat. He did find stray rays of sunlight peek through the walls, but it still wasn’t much to give him any hope of escape.

Luciano wiggled against his restraints. The chains proved too strong for him; he assumed due to the restraints that he couldn’t use his abilities. 

“Fighting is pointless. It’ll only tucker you out, pretty one.”

Ahriman sauntered from around a corner. He remained dressed in his Black Coat, but now presenting his face. He truly did resemble William, which proved frightening. The bulging veins and dark eyes.

Luciano found himself unsure if Ahriman indeed was William or some monster wearing William’s face.

Ahriman knelt over to Luciano, keeping little distance between them. He stroked Luciano’s chin with a gloved hand. “Oh, pretty one. I’ve looked forward to this moment for so long now. How I’ve hungered to have you here. My heart’s desire is finally coming true.”

“Back off, freak!” Luciano wiggled his chin away from Ahriman’s grasp. For little good that did as he ended up rolling onto his side. His lack of composure brought a jolly laugh to Ahriman, who found the weakness adorable. 

“There’s no need for such harsh words.” Ahriman grabbed Luciano’s shirt collar to drag him upright. Ahriman licked his lips. His face inched closer to Luciano. “You needn’t run from me. I’m here to protect you, pretty light. Now, nothing can hurt you because I am here. And our union is what will set the worlds aflame!

Luciano cringed. He tried wiggling away from Ahriman, but it wasn’t like he could escape. “You realize how nuts you sound? Why would I want anything to do with you?”

“But you already did!” Ahriman cackled as he sprang to his feet. His steps appeared more like dancing rather than walking anywhere in the room. “Don’t you remember what you did with William? That means you did it with me too!”

Ahriman’s laughter sounded horrifically sinister.

Luciano wanted to vomit. “So, you’re possessing William? You’re making him do this?”

“Possessing! Is that what you think I am? A possession? A lowly demon?” Ahriman smirked, once again finding Luciano behaving adorably. He shook his head. “Oh, sweet boy. You understand so little of the worlds now.” A frown appeared. “No longer are you the wise man; now, you’re the naive boy.” 

“Quit talking in riddles, clown! Give a straight answer.”

Ahriman giggled with a hand covering his mouth. “Oh! You sound like the big one now. I like it.” Ahriman licked his lips. “I could tell you everything now, but it would ruin all my fun and the surprise. Wouldn’t it be better if we dragged it out? Make an interesting story out of all this?”

Luciano rolled his eyes. “I hate stories.”

“Really? And you were so good at telling them too.”

Ahriman poked Luciano’s nose. “We’ll talk more later, pretty light maybe after you’ve learned to accept your fate. How the chains of destiny have us bound to continue this eternal dance!”

Luciano shook his head. “Screw destiny! When I break free of these chains, I’m kicking your ass! And I’ll free William of you.”

Ahriman shrugged then turned his back on Luciano. “You can try, but it won’t do you any good.” A Corridor of Darkness opened before Ahriman as he slowly stepped inside. “If you behave, maybe I’ll bring you some food.”

Luciano awakens to find himself in an unknown chamber with Ahriman standing over him. Ahriman continues to ramble on their destined connection.

*~*

Thomas stood outside of Eva’s door that morning and gave the door a gentle knock. Eva let him inside as she mumbled how nice it was to see him punctual for a change.

“Did you get a full twelve hours of sleep for a change?” asked Eva.

“Actually, I’ve been sleeping less lately.” Thomas joined Eva on the sofa. The bags around his eyes appeared puffier than usual. However, he didn’t act like a sleepy mess or complain about his lack of proper sleep. “These fights have given me too much adrenaline. It’s hard to close my eyes without suspecting another attack happening.”

Eva nodded. “I understand. I’ve had the same fears lately.”

“Good to know that I’m not alone on that front.” Thomas crossed a leg over the other. He continued to fight his desire for rest since he knew that they had far more pressing matters to discuss. Eva wouldn’t have bothered to call him here for pointless chatter. “Now, instructor, what do you have for me? Did you receive orders from Master Layla or Master Virgil?”

“Technically, but the mission isn’t in stone yet. I want you aware of the situation since your eyes are better at handling such delicate matters.” Eva grabbed a USB drive from her table. “These are the files that Brendan retrieved from Ansem the Wise’s computer in Twilight Town. Most of the data was material that the Radiant Garden team already had access to, so it offered nothing of real importance. However, there were also a few files hidden deep within the computer’s hard drive that are very curious.”

Thomas stroked his chin. “Oh? Am I to assume that the mission involves another trip to Twilight Town to sort through the files?”

Eva nodded. “Indeed. But there are things you need to know about the files. They do not belong to Ansem.”

“But it was Ansem’s computer. Who else would have access to it?”

“The old mansion was abandoned for some time before and after Ansem would come to occupy it. I am assuming that these files originated from another occupant. My guess, this person constructed the very facilities that Ansem would use and expand.” She handed the drive over to Thomas for safekeeping since she already copied the files. “I had a difficult time deciphering the files since the writing style was very peculiar, and much of the text appeared more like a mad man rambling than coherent speech. However, after comparing the text to other files, I’ve come to a conclusion on the author.”

Eva leaned over to Thomas and whispered, “Luxu.”

Thomas’s eyes widened. “Luxu! One of the Master’s apprentices. Are you certain?”

“I believe so. The text mentions the Unions and Daybreak Town too. Given the nature of the text, it is safe to assume that it is not a digitized version of the Book of Prophecies. In fact, I believe the text is possibly connected to a larger file: Luxu’s journal.”

Thomas gasped. The thought of Luxu having a proper journal could uncover plenty of secrets that any Keyblade Wielder would find valuable. He could also see how Master Layla would find something like that attractive too, given her crusade against the Harlequins and Darkness. “Such a journal could revolutionize our knowledge of everything. If Luxu wrote it during the Age of Fairy Tales, then we could learn so much about the ancient world. He never received a Book of Prophecies, but he surely would’ve documented things that the Master of Masters and the Foretellers told him.”

Eva summoned Three Wishes to her hand. “Which is why we need to dig deeper into the computer. If there are more files or clues to an exact location of Luxu’s journal, the Proteas must attain it first before the Harlequins, or the Order does.”

A beam of light arose from Three Wishes, conjuring a protective dome over them.

Eva left Three Wishes on the coffee table. She leaned closer to Thomas again. “I already notified Master Juan, we are working on sending agents there to retrieve the files then wipe the drive. However, for the sake of the Order, I need you and Doron to go to Twilight Town, too, and report that you found no additional data. We need to throw Layla and Virgil off the scent for this lead so that they don’t continue to pursue.”

Thomas nodded. “Understood. You can count on me.”

The dome crumbled as Eva didn’t want to sustain it for too long. She didn’t want to risk any suspicion of their activities. A momentary dome could convince the Order’s loyal spies that they acted in good faith, rather than plot the Order’s downfall. 

Eva got up from the couch. “Be careful out there, Thomas. We don’t know when the Harlequins or Ahriman will strike again. We can only assume they’ll act soon.”

“Don’t worry about me.” Thomas sprang to his feet and stuffed the USB drive into his pocket. “I’ll fill Doron in on the plan. And you let me know when we have the official orders to act.” A yawn escaped his lips. “In the meantime, I should probably get some rest. Luciano better not have made a mess of our dorm while I was away.”

Eva led him out the door and wished him well on the mission.

*~*

The salty breeze blew from the ocean with a howl echoing across the abandoned fort. The beauty of the Caribbean did little to distract Odysseus from his mission as he reviewed the vitals of the people floating in the green vats. The computer reported back that the occupants remained in good health and would prove ready for combat soon enough.

Odysseus sat at the station while he stroked his chin as he stared at the vats. The occupants in this set of tanks appeared so peaceful as they continued their long slumber. Soon enough, the data would stabilize, and they would join the others.

“What good is it to rely on these dolls?” whispered Odysseus. “There are far more souls within the Order that would join us with proper convincing. But no, Virgil insists on relying on an old man’s party trick.”

Odysseus sprang from his chair. There wasn’t much of a reason for him to remain trapped indoors when things continued to make their steady progress. 

Odysseus left the cellar and ascended to the roof of the fort. He crossed paths with several masked people as the Harlequins operated here without any suspicions. Once he reached the roof, where he could spot the bustling town of Port Royal on the opposite end of the island.

No one dared to approach the old fort now that the colonists largely contained the pirate threat. They went so far to claim the tormented souls of the pirates haunted the old fort. It wasn’t right. It was merely Odysseus and other Harlequins playing tricks on the locals so that they didn’t stumble upon their projects.

The Harlequins didn’t want to risk the Order becoming aware of this facility. It was too crucial to their success. 

The hot sun burned against Odysseus’s skin, but it was a marvelous burn. He could put his mind to rest. 

Odysseus closed his eyes and smiled as the sun warmed his face. “Let Virgil play with his dolls. It doesn’t matter. William and I will set things right soon enough. Then, we can rid the worlds of that annoying old man.”

“I’d advise against talking ill of your superior in public,” said the calm voice of a man.

Odysseus opened his eyes to find a Black Coat on a crumbling arch.

Odysseus didn’t bother to draw his Keyblade since he didn’t send the maliciousness of Ahriman but instead felt a familiar presence. “Do tell me why I shouldn’t strike you down, stranger? I don’t know if you got the memo, but Black Coats aren’t welcomed amongst the Harlequins.”

“There was a time when Harlequins wore Black Coats with pride, but times have greatly changed.” The Black Coat jumped from the arch, landing not too far from Odysseus. Luckily, no one else was on the roof to raise any alarms. “I’ve come to offer a warning. You are setting the stage for a war that will set you onto a path of new return. A Keyblade War isn’t something to engage in lightly.”

Odysseus chuckled. “I’d hardly call this conflict a true Keyblade War. It’s merely the egos of a pair of aging Keyblade Masters fighting to hold power. They’re too short-sighted and irrelevant to do anything grander.”

“Perhaps so, but it is the short-sightedness that creates the biggest messes,” said the Black Coat. “It is why you should focus on maintaining an eye on William and Luciano.”

Odysseus raised his eyebrows. Sparks of darkness manifested with the End of Pain taking form. His feet slid backward as he prepared to strike. “And what do you know of them?” Odysseus lunged across to strike the Black Coat only for the Black Coat to wiggle his fingers. 

The darkness solidified, manifesting his own Keyblade. It was a demonic wing for a blade with an angel’s wing growing from the side. The hilt bore both a demon and an angel’s wing with a bright-blue cat’s eyes at the center, while the Heartless insignia dangled as a keychain. The Black Coat used the Keyblade to block Odysseus’s attack, holding Odysseus’s larger frame back without the slightest bit of a struggle.

Odysseus gasped as he recognized the Keyblade as the Way to the Dawn. An older Keyblade that no wielder manifested since its original wielder, Master Riku.

“Who are you?” asked Odysseus. “What do you know of William and Luciano?”

The Black Coat’s silver hair peeked from the hood. Odysseus looked a little closer as he attempted to identify the Black Coat, but he didn’t get the chance. The Black Coat pulled his head to cover himself. “I know nothing of Luciano, but William and I have a special connection. Not as special as the one that you two share.” The Black Coat dismissed his Keyblade with Odysseus responding in kind. “But we did wander the Darkness together. It's how I know of his secrets, including that of his _eye_. It is why I worry about his safety now that Ahriman roams free. That also puts Luciano in grave danger.”

Odysseus glared. “William wouldn’t trust anyone to his secret. So I ask again, who are you?”

“You don’t need a proper answer. Not yet.” A Corridor of Darkness opened behind the Black Coat. “Protect them. Before this war kills them.”

The corridor vanished along with the Black Coat, which left Odysseus confused as he tried to decipher the meaning of the Black Coat’s words.

*~*

Doron skipped out of the mess hall with a sea-salt popsicle in hand. The salty and sweet treat proved to refresh his heart and soul as the weather was particularly toasty at the Land of Departure, which was so unlike its usually mild climate.

Former classmates passed him in the hall, offering some chances at small talk that Doron mostly breezed his way through since he didn’t feel like chatting for long. He wanted to return to his dorm and enjoy what remained of this vacation period that Master Layla granted them. However, one could hardly call it a vacation since there was no rest for the wicked, and he had some truly wicked things in store for the Order.

And not all of them were something that the Proteas would approve.

Doron licked his popsicle and turned the corner only to nearly run into Thomas.

“Whoa! Watch where you’re going, big guy. You almost ruined my dessert!”

Thomas licked his lips. A sea-salt popsicle sounded delicious. For a moment, his hunger overpowered his need to sleep. 

However, Thomas silenced both instincts. Although Thomas finding Doron turned out as an accident, it worked perfectly with the assignment he received from Eva. “There’s no time for dessert. We got a mission.”

“No time for dessert?” Doron gasped. He reached out to touch Thomas’s forehead to find it was cool, but not scorching as he suspected. “You’re not sick, are you?”

Thomas groaned. “I’m in perfect health. But if you’d listen to me, then you’d understand what is going on here.”

Doron kept licking away at the popsicle while Thomas summarized his meeting with Eva. It didn’t interest Doron until Thomas explained the possibility of Luxu’s journal existing and remnants of it being in Twilight Town. All of those brought many curious thoughts to Doron’s head as he wondered what secrets he could find waiting in the journal.

Those thoughts came crashing when Thomas passed a card over.

The text didn’t appear as anything special to the untrained eye. However, when they became aware of their mutual membership in the Proteas, they came up with a unique code. Doron relied on drafting phrases to signal his hints to Thomas, while Thomas used old magic he learned from the Vodun practices of his homeworld: the Big Easy.

The text translated itself for Doron only with him seeing the hidden meaning. They weren’t meant to find the journal. Instead, they had to convince the Order that the files were unretrievable after a Protea would destroy the computer. It bothered Doron that someone would get first dibs on the data, but he could work with getting his hands on the data eventually.

Doron stuffed the paper into his pocket. “Cool. So when do we get to work?”

“Just waiting on the paperwork.” Thomas yawned. “Has William gone home yet? I’d like to sleep in my own bed without hearing anything that would scar me for life.”

Doron chuckled. “I’m not sure. But I’ll walk with you, so you don’t get traumatized on your own. I could use some new emotional scars.”

“I appreciate it.”

They went across the building to the student dorms. Fewer students remained in the halls since most already left for their noon classes. 

Thomas figured he could return home now without any trouble. He unlocked the door with them, bracing themselves for any odd smells or loud noises. Instead, they found the room was eerily quiet.

Doron finished the last bit of his popsicle before tossing the stick into the trash can. “Well, it’s pretty quiet here. I guess that means William already left.”

However, Thomas didn’t feel the desire to rest. He felt the hairs on his neck stand as something cold lingered in the air. He summoned Spellbinder, which shocked Doron as he feared an attack. “There was someone here. Someone who shouldn’t be here.”

Doron scratched his nose. “Oh? What are you picking up on, Papa Bear?”

Thomas stepped around the furniture to look closer to Luciano’s door. He spotted some clothing on the floor and the lingering smell of sex, but that he ignored. He turned his attention to a nearby wall where the chill ran the deepest. “Darkness. I can feel the echoes of a Corridor of Darkness.”

“You’re kidding?” asked Doron. “You can sense those things?”

“Yes.”

A knock came from the front door. They looked to find Brendan and Troilus standing outside, waiting on their permission to enter.

Troilus crossed his arms over his chest. “Have you seen William? He promised to train with me.”

“And Luciano,” said Brendan, “he was supposed to help meet me for lunch.”

“Both are missing?” Doron whispered only for his eyes to widen. He spun around to Thomas as it started to make sense. “The Corridor of Darkness!”

Thomas nodded. “Ahriman. He was here. He must’ve done something to Luciano and William. We have to find them before it's too late!”

  
*~*

Luciano started to lose track of time. Not that he had much of a grasp for it in the first place. He was left tied on the floor where Ahriman first left him, making it impossible for him to get any better grasp of his surroundings or even the time.

All that he could see was that sunlight dimmed from the cracks in the wood. However, he could tell if it came from an overcast or it was the approaching sunset.

Luciano banged his head against the wall, purposely, as he sought to end his torment. He gave up attempting to break himself free of the chains since nothing he did prove effective without his magic or Keyblade. He even attempted to stand, but he lost all sense of coordination that he couldn’t maintain any balance to hop his way to freedom.

Luciano frowned. His mind felt weak as the heat increased too. The stray breeze that blew in through the cracks in the wood provided only momentary comfort. He couldn’t see how much longer he could put up with this torment, but he couldn’t show weakness either.

Ahriman wanted nothing more than to see Luciano crack to pieces, which is precisely why Luciano needed to keep fighting. 

However, Luciano didn’t know how much longer he could maintain his resistance.

The stray thoughts of William proved the only thing keeping Luciano sane. Luciano didn’t get a clear answer from Ahriman, but he got enough clues to tell that William and Ahriman shared a body. Luciano wondered if William wore a pretty mask to hide his true self or if Ahriman was something else residing within William’s heart.

If Ahriman weren’t truly William, then it would comfort Luciano’s heart and give him the hope he needed to see William worth saving. However, if William and Ahriman were of one heart and mind, then Luciano dreaded the thought of plunging a Keyblade through William’s chest.

It tormented his every thought, and it frustrated him not to know the truth. Even if the truth proved horrifying, he wanted to know what in the world was happening so he could put up a fight.

Luciano groaned as he tried rolling his head away from the wood, so he didn’t get a splinter. “If your evil plan was to make me sweat to death, then you should’ve chosen Agrabah. This is nothing, clown-face.”

Laughter echoed from the rafters. 

Ahriman slipped down to reach Luciano. The veins bulged more than before, and his eyes appeared even darker. He even had silvery, white streaks appearing in his hair now. “There’s no to boast, pretty light. I can feel your resolve fading. You’ll give into Darkness soon enough, and your Light will be in my arms.”

“Ew,” gagged Luciano. “Your attempts at romance don’t work on me.”

Ahriman smirked. “Oh? Should I act more charming like that weak boy?” Ahriman cracked his neck. His dark eyes softened only slightly as he leaned closer to Luciano. “Luciano, I’m here for you. Don’t be afraid.”

Luciano’s legs thrashed as he tried to kick Ahriman, while Ahriman started to laugh. 

“Aw, you don’t like my acting? I thought I nailed down William’s mannerisms perfectly.” Ahriman strolled across the chamber. His hand reached out to the narrow opening as he allowed his fingers to dance in the sunlight. “William is a foolish boy that needs me. He cannot live without me. I am the only thing keeping him from falling to pieces.”

“Is that what you are?” Luciano squinted at Ahriman, psychoanalyzing the words of the monster. He didn’t know if Ahriman did it intentionally or not, but he could pick up on a few hints. “You’re a split personality? A defense mechanism.”

Ahriman licked his lips. “I am far more complicated than that, but you’re starting to get close. If only you can use your superior brain! Then you’d have all the answers.” Ahriman chuckled. He enjoyed his little hints and watching the squirrels in Luciano’s head run as he tried to uncover the meanings. It proved far more entertaining than he expected. “Maybe a few more hints will light your way. Just like you lit my way to the surface.”

“What?”

“Yes.” Ahriman slid onto his knees. The fears of splinters didn’t bother him as he wore thick enough layers to protect himself. “I told you before that your pretty light draws me out. I’m only here because lured me out of hiding.” He slowly crawled closer to Luciano with his eyes watching Luciano like a hungry beast. “Lust. Desire. They’re quite powerful of sins. Poor William. He isn’t strong enough to survive his sinful ways alone. He needs me to do the heavy lifting for him.”

Ahriman started to walk his fingers over Luciano’s shoulder. “It’s quite funny. Had he never met you, then I may never have existed. But here I am.” Ahriman snaked his head closer to lick Luciano’s cheek. “I owe my existence to you. That is what makes us a destined pair. Light within Darkness.”

Luciano started to hyperventilate at the thoughts. Was Ahriman telling him the truth? Was all of this his fault? 


	7. Mark of Alliance

Thomas led the others in a mad scramble across the Academy to find any sign of Luciano and William only to come up with nothing. Other than Ahriman’s lingering darkness, they couldn’t detect Luciano and William’s presence or narrow down where Ahriman could have possibly taken them. The sad reality left Thomas and the others with no other choice but to report the disappearance to Master Layla. 

It didn’t take much effort on their part to get another audience with her.

Master Layla leaped from her desk as they entered her office. Her eyes red as she clenched the fabric of her dress over her heart. “I heard the message. Are you absolutely certain that Ahriman invaded the castle?” They nodded, which only caused her more heartache. She processed how Ahriman could circumvent the Order’s defenses, but couldn’t see any option available to him. “To overcome our defenses and capture two of our top students, then Ahriman is incredibly powerful. He is a threat that we cannot afford to underestimate.”

Troilus dug his nails into his palms. His face turned red since receiving news of Luciano and William’s capture. Their capture wounded his pride almost as much as losing the fight against Odysseus. “We have to find them. Who knows what Ahriman is doing to them.”

“Right,” said Doron. “Not even when Thomas and I working together could do much harm to Ahriman. I don’t know how Luciano survived fighting the psycho twice.”

“Ahriman must not want to kill Luciano,” said Brendan. “Which suggests that he has something far worse in mind for Luciano.”

Master Layla frowned. “I fear you are right, Brendan. It is bad enough that Luciano is Ahriman’s target, but now even William is tangled up in this mess.”

Thomas folded his arms behind his back. The suspicions they had for Master Layla silenced themselves as rescuing Luciano and William took precedence. They could worry another day on Master Layla’s agenda after their friends were safe. “Master, we need to find them quickly,” he said, retaining his calm despite the feeling of urgency. “I believe my magic can help us track them, but it might not be enough. Is there anything you can do to help us?”

“I believe so.” Master Layla swung her right arm out. Sparks of red light and roses appeared as she manifested her Keyblade: the Divine Rose. The green, thorny vines surrounded a purple blade with a blossoming rose for teeth. The guard appeared like a stain-glass window, and a rose dangled as the keychain.

Master Layla swung the Keyblade towards her chest with her other than touching the blade. “You are right, Thomas, that we must act quickly. Therefore, I authorize your mission to retrieve our missing comrades.” She pointed her Keyblade at them. A ray of light shot out that separated itself into four beams. The beams touched their wrists to create a white, armored band around their right arms with a yellow core at its center. “Your best means of tracking Luciano and William will take you to the Lanes Between. The Gummi Ships won’t be as effective as a method to narrow down their locations. Therefore, I give you Keyblade Armor to help in your search, and it should offer you protection from Ahriman.” Another flash of light gathered around Brendan’s hand as he received two more wristbands. “Those are for William and Luciano when you find them.”

The Divine Rose disappeared in a flash. Master Layla walked over to Troilus, paying close attention as she could see the fury in his eyes. “Your mission is to rescue Luciano and William,” she said clearly. “They are your top priority, not Ahriman. However, if the opportunity presents itself to kill him, then do so. Otherwise, you are to return to the castle as soon as possible. Understood?”

Despite his mighty desire to crush Ahriman’s head, Troilus repressed his rage. He nodded as he understood the meaning of Master Layla’s command. “Understood. Luciano and William’s safety comes first.”

Master Layla smiled. “I wish you all the best of luck on your assignment. May your heart be your guiding key.”

They nodded and offered their thanks. They quickly left the office to begin their mission to save Luciano and William.

*~*

Rushing from Master Layla’s office, they reached the docks at the edge of the castle to avoid alerting the students. 

“We better hurry,” said Troilus. “Before Ahriman decides to kill our friends.”

The others agreed. They summoned their Keyblades and activated their armor by adjusting their wristbands. A flash of light washed over their bodies with lightning cracking as the armor solidified. 

However, unlike the Keyblade Armor of old, the armor that the Order used appeared as combat suits. The form-fitted, white suits bore gold lines that ran across the suits like veins with the symbol of the World’s Heart over their hearts. And black helmets grew from the armor to provide proper shielding of their faces. Like the old Keyblade Armor, these suits provided physical protection and protection from the Darkness that seeped from the Lanes Between. 

Doron whistled at their new armor. He did a quick twirl and found the armor oddly comfortable, more so than he originally anticipated. “Why didn’t we have these sooner! They would’ve come in handy during the invasion at Radiant Garden.” Doron did another spin for the fun of it. When he finished twirling, his torso leaned a little forward to spot Troilus from behind. “Oh! The armor leaves little to the imagination. Brendan! Thomas! Come look at Troilus’s butt.”

Brendan found himself grateful for the helmet since the only part of his face exposed was an eye visor. The heat he felt burning across his face didn’t go noticed as his eyes briefly captured a glimpse of Troilus’s ass. It was a rather impressive sight as it appeared like a perfect bubble that left Brendan breathless for a moment. “Get it together, Doron!” Brendan said while maintaining a degree of composure. “We are to prepare for a mission. Not fornicate in our armor.”

Doron smirked. “Party pooper.” Doron’s eyes looked over to Brendan and Thomas, causing him to whistle. “Wow! You guys have some nice asses too. No fair. Am I the only one here with a flat ass?”

Thomas rolled his eyes. “Eat some potatoes and do more squats.”

“Is that really the secret to a bigger butt?”

Troilus groaned. “Let’s go already!”

“Wait!”

From the stairway, they looked to find Eva rushing towards them. She had a star-shaped device in her hand that she quickly tossed at them, which Brendan managed to catch.

Eva took a deep breath. “I’ve done my best to track any unusual activity. I’ve narrowed down some hotspots for you with the closest one coming from Twilight Town! Granted, the analysis comes from our search of the Harlequins, but we can’t ignore the possibility that Ahriman has some level of involvement with them.”

“Thanks, instructor!” shouted Brendan. “We’ll make good use of the data.”

“You better.” Eva’s eyes darted to Thomas and Doron. They took the hint of visiting Twilight Town first, which no doubt meant that she wanted them to retrieve the remaining data from the computer.

Doron’s helmet hid his smirk. He would get his chance to dig into the computer, after all. 

Troilus raised the Abyssal Tide. A focused blast of energy shot out to open a rift for them to travel through. “We ready, men?”

“Ready!”

They dove into the rift with their Keyblades surviving as their guide through the Lanes Between.

*~*

They ventured down the freezing depths of space with their Keyblade Armor being their only form of protection. It felt radically different to travel through this method than with a Gummi Ship or even by teleportation. Still, they found it exhilarating too as they ventured across the universe with so little protection.

Their Keyblades eventually brought them to the Twilight Town, where they made landfall at the woods outside of downtown. The Keyblade Armor vanished once their bodies had enough time to acclimate to the world’s atmosphere. 

Doron skipped his way through the woods as they made their approach to the old mansion. “Well, so this is the old-timers’ mansion. It is far more depressing then I imagined. This place had to be ancient even when Ansem first arrived.”

“I would agree since nobody knows its origins.” Brendan pushed the gates open so that they could get inside. “However, something I did notice last time we were here was all the unicorns.”

“Oh yeah.” Troilus followed as they stepped into the foyer and made their way towards the mansion’s basements. “There are unicorn statues and symbols all over this place.”

Thomas squinted his eyes as he spotted a few. “Unicorns. Could this place have a connection to the Foretellers then? Wasn’t it Ira that led the Unicornis Union?”

“That’s the one,” said Brendan.

Doron skipped downstairs. “So this place has a possible connection to the Master of Masters. This got a lot more interesting.” 

“Should we consider splitting up?” asked Troilus as they arrived at the computer room. “If Ahriman came here, then we shouldn’t worry about one place.”

Brendan shook his head. “But the computer monitors the entire mansion, remember? It is best if we start here. Especially if Ahriman was only passing through.”

Brendan made his way to the computer only for Doron to shove him out of his way.

“Sorry, buddy!” Doron slid into the chair and began to type away at the keys. “Leave the computer stuff to me. I know way more about hacking.” He retrieved a rather bulky USB drive from his pocket. “And as a little extra insurance. This should help with immediate decryption.” 

Brendan huffed at Doron as Thomas patted his back.

Doron created two backups of the hard drive without anyone noticing. He would give one to Eva while keeping one for himself so that he could personally see if there was anything of value. 

He hummed along to a jolly tune as he scrolled through everything, starting with the security footage. “Let’s see. I’m not seeing anyone that matches Ahriman’s description here. And no Luciano too. But there is footage of you guys getting your asses handed to you by Odysseus! Does anyone want to watch it again?”

“No!” shouted Troilus and Brendan.

Doron chuckled. “Scrolling! Here’s something more current. A few kids played around the mansion. Some straw dogs. And a falcon coming to kill a rabbit. Well, nothing exciting here, folks.” Doron unplugged the drive since the backup completed itself moments ago. He spun around to the others. “Where to next?”

Brendan looked at the star-shaped compass, which projected images of different worlds. He started to scroll through to find the nearest world to them.

However, something caught Thomas’s attention from the monitor. He squinted to one of the upper monitors, which played security footage. “I thought you scrolled through the old footage of Odysseus?”

“I did.” Doron spun around to check the monitor. “That’s not old. That’s current.”

“Current!” Troilus’s eyes darkened. He summoned Abyssal Tide to his hands and immediately rushed out of the mansion before anyone could stop him.

Brendan quickly went after Troilus with Thomas and Doron not too far behind. Brendan muttered about how history was repeating itself before attempting to yell at Troilus to calm down.

Troilus paid Brendan no attention. He jumped through the broken window on the second floor to get the jump on Odysseus before Odysseus could defend himself.

Standing at the gate, Odysseus looked up at the perfect second to find Troilus descending upon him with his Keyblade drawn. Fiery sparks appeared from Odysseus’s hand as he summoned End of Pain to his hand. 

The Keyblades intercepted with Odysseus having to flex harder to keep Troilus from getting any closer.

Odysseus rolled his eyes as he shoved Troilus back, while the others escaped the mansion to catch up finally. “This is deja vu,” said Odysseus. “Except there are more of you. What purpose could you possibly have with the mansion now?”

“That’s none of your business!” shouted Troilus. “You have no reason to be here, either!”

Troilus attempted to jump after Odysseus once more. However, Thomas interfered. Thomas pointed Spellbinder at Troilus with the tip of Spellbinder glowing. “Stopra!” The image of a clock appeared around Troilus as Thomas stopped time around Troilus before he could make his next move.

Odysseus swung End of Pain over his shoulder as he lowered his defenses. “Now that the shark got put in his place, I ask again, what purpose do you have with this place?”

“We can ask you the same question,” said Thomas. “Why are you here?”

Odysseus huffed. “It’s none of your business. But, since I’m feeling generous. I like it here. I feel a strange connection to this place. Now. Why are you here again?”

“We’re looking for our friends,” said Brendan. “Ahriman took them.”

Odysseus’s eyes scanned them as he noticed no sign of William and Luciano. If something happened to William, then that would make sense why Odysseus couldn’t reach him before. He didn’t play his hand too quickly as he didn’t want them to uncover any weakness of his. “What friends?”

Doron shook his head as he walked closer. “You know who we’re talking about, Odi. Ahriman captured William and Luciano. So are you going to help us save them, or are you going to let your boyfriend rot?”

“Boyfriend?” shouted the others.

Time unfroze around Troilus with him stumbling to his knees. While he couldn’t move, he could still hear everything that was said. “Boyfriend! You’re dating Luciano?”

Thomas groaned. “He’s dating William. But William is trying to date Luciano, so, did you break up?”

Odysseys smirked. “I’m from Olympus. Multiple partners are the norm.” Odysseus dismissed End of Pain as he had no intention of fighting. He went over to Doron and leaned over to him. “Did you get it?” he whispered.

“Yup,” Doron said softly. “We’ll talk later.”

Thomas rushed over with Brendan following, and Troilus dragging his feet. “Then, you’ll help us! Ahriman is this nutcase that is obsessed with Luciano.”

“I know.” Odysseus crossed his arms over his bulky chest. “I was at Radiant Garden. I was the one who protected Luciano from Ahriman.” He looked over as he noticed the confused looks on their face. “Oh, so he didn’t tell anyone about that? Curious.”

“We’ll deal with the secrets later.” Brendan poked Odysseus in the chest. “Will you help us, or do you plan on leaving your boyfriend and future boyfriend to root under a madman’s care?”

Odysseus flicked his wrist. Behind him, a Corridor of Darkness emerged. “It’ll take more tech than this dusty mansion has or anything the Order has to narrow down their location. We’ll need to go to a Harlequin base to find them.”

Troilus furrowed his eyebrows. “You’ll take your enemies to your base? How much sense does that make?”

“Far more than you know, little merman.” Odysseus gestured to the Corridor of Darkness. “So, are you coming, or are you too egotistical to accept help to find your friends?”

“Let’s go!” Doron activated his Keyblade Armor then jumped into the Corridor of Darkness. 

With Doron gone, they didn’t have a choice but to follow.

*~*

Juan slid on his fox mask while descending the staircase to reach the underground chamber. It was here in the Dwarf Woodlands that the Proteas built a secret meeting spot in the chamber that once belonged to the Evil Queen.

The Magic Mirror hung on the wall with the symbols of the Zodiac etched onto the border. A lengthy crack covered the mirror as the spirit that once occupied was released over a century ago.

The underground chamber became largely abandoned, with the descendants of Snow White sealing it off for good. However, a Keyblade Wielder could easily slip through, which is how the Proteas came to find a use of the chamber.

While relics of the Evil Queen remained, her magic vanished as did the spirit of the Magic Mirror.

Juan entered the chamber to find a dozen more Proteas waiting for him, all dressed in leather clothes. He summoned Sleeping Lion to his head then struck the ground to join the other Keyblades. “My son is missing,” he roared.

The other Proteas gasped. 

“Are you certain, master?” asked a feminine voice. 

Juan nodded. “I received word from Eva.” It was in this chamber where Juan and the other Proteas could freely speak names. Only Agrabah and a few other bases did they feel safe enough to speak openly of their identities with many more spaces; they assumed the Order could have the area under the surveillance of some kind. “She informed me that the Order sent their youngest agents to retrieve Luciano and another Wielder from Ahriman.”

“That beast again,” said a low voice. “We still know nothing of this Ahriman either. There are no records of him anywhere, yet he is becoming an ever-present threat.”

“Indeed. That is why we must make a move.” Juan pulled his Keyblade from the ground. “We received a word from another operative of a major Harlequin base in the world of Port Royal at the city of Tortuga.”

“And? What do the Harlequins have to do with Ahriman? Should we really focus on them now when we should assist these men in finding your son?” asked another Protea.

“The agents that the Order sent are friends of my son,” said Juan. “I have confidence they will find him. However, we must not forget the Harlequins. Their quest for Darkness is likely what brought Ahriman upon us, which means it can still serve to benefit us in the end.”

An orange-haired woman nodded. “If this base is as significant as you claim, then it is likely we can uncover who the Harlequin’s leaders are too. We should at least consider attacking it.”

“Alright,” said a pink-haired man. “Do you have a plan, Juan?”

“I do. This is what we’ll need to do.”

*~*

The Corridor of Darkness opened up outside of a fort overlooking the cost. The heat and salty breeze greeted them first, bringing a feeling of ease.

Troilus took a deep breath. “How I’ve missed the sea. It almost reminds me of home.”

Brendan gasped when he took notice of the fort; the familiarity hit him like a bag of bricks. He looked out to the town on the opposite end of the island. “Great,” His voice deflated as he spoke. “I’m back here.”

Troilus went over to Brendan, while Thomas and Doron followed Odysseus into the fort. “Something wrong?” he asked.

“This is my homeworld,” said Brendan as he stormed into the fort. “I don’t exactly have fond memories of this place.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.” Troilus walked after Brendan with the torchlight offering some illumination to the empty fort. “My last memories of my homeworld aren’t pleasant ones either.”

Brendan smirked. “Maybe we can talk about it after we save our idiot friends.”

Troilus nodded as they caught up to everyone else.

Meanwhile, Thomas quickly looked around the dark fort. “Why does this scream trap?”

“It’s okay,” said Doron, “it’s just an evil fort. There isn’t a trap here.”

“How are you so certain?” asked Thomas. “What do you know of the Harlequins?”

Doron turned over his shoulder to offer Thomas a smirk. “I only know what William and Odi tell me.”

The others stopped in their tracks as Doron nonchalantly confessed to working with the Harlequins too. Doron didn’t bother to defend his actions either as he skipped along. 

Thomas bit his tongue since they needed the Harlequins’ help to find Luciano and William. Brendan resisted the urge to yell, while Troilus struggled to contain the rage boiling to the surface at his companions lying to him all this time.

Odysseus groaned. “How many times do I have to tell you not to call me Odi before you take the hint?”

“What was that, Odi?”

Odysseus clenched his fist. He didn’t punch Doron even though he wanted to hit him so badly. Instead, he led them to the basement of the fort to face a massive computer with dozens of occupied vats surrounding it.

Brendan stared at the vats with wide-eyes. “Who? Why do some of these people look so familiar?”

“They’re Replicas,” Odysseus said, bluntly. He went to the computer and began to initiate a search protocol. He could do scans of multiple worlds for significant sources of Darkness, which they used to find potential Harlequins. “Yes, I know, it’s a stupid plan to use Replicas. It isn’t my idea; you can blame Master Virgil for that one.”

“Master Virgil!”

Odysseus looked over his shoulder. “Seriously? Didn’t you know that William and I run the Harlequins with Master Virgil? What do you jokers know?”

Doron chuckled. “Very little, clearly.”

Troilus prepared to summon his Keyblade only for Thomas to stand between him and Odysseus.

Thomas sighed. “What are your intentions with the Replicas?”

“Not ours,” said Odysseus, “it’s Virgil. It’s not enough to convince Keyblade Wielders to turn to Darkness; he wants an army great enough to compete with the Order. So, we’ve been stealing samples from the Order’s agents and used Vexen’s research to create new Replicas.”

Brendan stared at the Replicas, while also listening closely to what Odysseus said. He found Odysseus’s explanation quite curious as it was so detached. “You speak of Master Virgil as though you have no interests in his agenda.”

Odysseus snapped his fingers as he stared at the computer. “Ding. Ding. Ding. The nerd gets it.” He pushed himself out of the chair. “Virgil is an idiot with so many delusions of grandeur that would make Xehanort roll over in his grave. William and I spent years trying to rid us of this old fool, but he’s not kicking the pithos anytime soon, so we’ve planned for more drastic measures.”

Troilus laughed. “So, you want to kill your boss to do something extra evil?”

“No, merman. We want the Harlequins to return to their true role. The one that Master Terra and Master Riku granted us.” Odysseus smirked as he looked at the surprised looks on everyone’s faces, which hadn’t gone away from his last announcement. “What? Didn’t you think the two Keyblade Masters who walk the Twilight path would leave the Order unsupervised? Light can’t go unchecked, which is why they wanted a group of Wielders dedicated to Darkness to exist. To maintain balance.”

Odysseus turned back to the computer. “But it looks like that balance is going to shit. Layla’s a fanatic, Virgil’s an idiot, and now the Proteas want to drop their hats into the ring. If shit keeps piling up, then we’re bound for another Keyblade War.”

“And you wouldn’t want that?” asked Thomas.

“No sane person does.” Doron entered a few more keys to narrow the search. He could see a few possible worlds that matched the criteria, but nothing proved definitive enough as a possible location for Ahriman. “It’s why we got to derail things. Before our elders get us all killed.”

As Brendan began to question the reasonableness of such a plan, alarms began to go off that startled everyone. Odysseus rushed to the computer with him and Doron working together to identify the alarm.

However, the liquid in the vats began to drain themselves before opening. The Replicas took deep breaths as they stumbled out of the vats, completely nude. The Replicas groaned with their bodies, adjusting to life before they manifested their Keyblades. Sparks ignited everywhere with Keyblades of all shapes and sizes appearing.

White robes soon covered the Replicas with them conjuring the Harlequin masks. 

“Shit!” Odysseus glanced at the Replicas’ vitals. “It’s too soon for them. Why in Hades would Virgil awaken them now?” The Replicas vanished into Corridors of Darkness. Odysseus found the origins of the alarm, which made his eyes go wide. “There’s an attack on Tortuga.”

“Tortuga!” Brendan’s voice betrayed him. He coughed as he went over to the computer. “Who is attacking Tortuga? Is it Ahriman? Or the Heartless?”

Odysseus shook his head. “The Proteas.” He plugged a drive into the computer before checking the electronic wristband on his right arm. “I’ll get a report if this thing finds William and Luciano. In the meantime, we need to stop this fight.”

“We?” said Troilus.

“Yes, we! You idiots are part of the Proteas now. So you’re helping me prevent a Keyblade War.” Odysseus extended his hand to open a Corridor of Darkness. “Now, hurry up! We don’t have much time.”

*~*

Fires burned across the pirate city of Tortuga. The old Spanish port became a pirate’s haven where countless pirate gangs operated and found moments of relaxation with rum or between the legs of a prostitute. However, now, the city has become a warzone. Countless souls got caught in the crossfire as dozens of Proteas confronted the Harlequins that operated in the city. Keyblades clashed, and magic erupted in every possible direction. 

A miniature Keyblade War occurred that could grow into something far worse if the flames of war weren’t contained. 

Cannon fire erupted as the few pirates that remained in Tortuga joined the fighting. Neither side cared to battle the pirates, but that didn’t mean that these Wielders didn’t turn their Keyblades against the pirates.

The Corridor of Darkness opened on the sandy beach of the city. Odysseus rushed out with the others following behind as the Corridor sealed itself behind them. They immediately drew their Keyblades as they couldn’t afford to enter the warzone unarmed. 

“Mercy,” whispered Brendan.

Odysseus shook his head. “You will find no such thing here. I can sense Master Virgil’s presence here. He will use the Replicas to burn this city to the ground before the Proteas can gain the upper hand.”

Troilus clenched onto the Abyssal Tide. “This is insane! Why are the Proteas even here?”

“I agree,” said Thomas. “This doesn’t sound like Master Juan at all.”

“Master Juan.” Odysseus’s eyes widened as it dawned on him. “Doron, does Eva know that Luciano is missing?”

Doron nodded. “Which means...she must’ve told him.”

Odysseus swung the End of Pain around as he stepped closer to the city. “Which means he’s probably convinced himself that the Harlequins are involved. Otherwise, he’d never act this recklessly. What a stupid father.” He groaned. He wanted to focus on rescuing William and Luciano, but this threat proved far too great for him to ignore. “Come on now. We need to stop these idiots from killing each other before the Order learns of what’s going on. If that happens, we’re all fucked.”

They didn’t argue with Odysseus as they instead charged into Tortuga and braced themselves for war.


	8. Mark of the Past

The battle ravaged Tortuga as the Harlequins and Proteas collided without any concern for the people caught in the middle. Keyblades clashed with neither side yielding any ground. The city burned, and it appeared that nothing could stop this conflict.

The masked combatants continued their deceptions despite there being no point in hiding their real faces. However, neither faction would reveal their true faces when the outcome remained undetermined. They couldn’t take the chance of failing and leaving themselves exposed to a second encounter.

While the battle raged on, Odysseus led them into action as they attempted to disrupt the fight.

Odysseus grabbed a Protea by the collar and slammed them to the rocky road. The Protea’s mask slid slightly, but Odysseus didn’t care to uncover the person’s face. He only wanted to end this battle before it could get any worse. “You’re an idiot, flower child. Why would you choose now of all times to attack us?”

The Protea groaned. “We’re here...to stop Darkness. Even you.”

Odysseus huffed. “Idiots. Every one of you.” He swung his Keyblade over his shoulder. “You can’t see how you’re all puppets. This senseless fighting is only deepening the gap. It really is up to us to put everyone in their place.” He spoke with such conviction that it didn’t bother him in the slightest to raise End of Pain against a fellow Harlequin. 

Odysseus looked from the corner of his eyes to spot a Harlequin that charged after him. It likely was a newly activated Replica, but Odysseus didn’t care. He slashed the Harlequin across the chest without even the slightest bit of hesitation.

“Nice job!” Doron jumped from the top of a wagon. He flung Missing Ache across the courtyard to strike a Harlequin in the back. The Harlequin collapsed to the ground, likely dead, with sparks appearing around Doron’s hand as he summoned his Keyblade. “I like how fast you move. You wouldn’t think a big guy could move with such grace.”

“Focus, Doron,” said Odysseus. 

Doron pouted. “I am. Did you not see me kill that Replica?”

“Incoming!”

Odysseus and Doron looked up to find a ramp of ice crashing in their direction. They jumped away before it was too late.

Spears of ice rose from the ground to reduce the battlefield. Thomas stepped away from the frozen walls of ice that he conjured, taking a moment to admire his work. “I’m trying to create a narrow perimeter to contain the fighting, but they’re moving too fast. My magic will only go so far here.”

“Keep doing what you can,” said Odysseus. “This will end once I deal with Virgil and Juan.”

“Alone?” said Doron and Thomas.

“Of course.”

They flinched as they heard an explosion. They looked to a nearby building to find it burning as a handful of Wielders jumped from the window.

Brendan and Troilus stood on the roof. It wasn’t clear how they ended up on the building; likely, they got tangled in the fight the other Wielders when the first started. And they appeared hesitant to move, but the fire spread too quickly to ignore it. 

Troilus swung Abyssal Tide to create an azure chain that hooked onto a nearby tower. He took Brendan’s hand, then they jumped. The chain proved sturdy enough as they ran across the tower’s wall before landing in the courtyard with the others. 

Brendan used Wheel of Fate to blast the ground with a wind spell to soften their landing. The miniature gust provided a gentle barrier before it faded, and their feet touched the road. “Good thinking,” Brendan said to Troilus. “You got us out of there before we got grilled.

“Happy to help.” Troilus swung his Keyblade back as he joined the others. “What do we do next? We have to do more than fight these lackeys!”

Thomas pointed at Odysseus. “He plans on taking Juan and Virgil out on his own.”

“That’s a dumb plan,” said Brendan.

“Yeah,” said Troilus, “you can’t pull that off alone.”

Doron raised his eyebrows. “Tro! Do you intend to help Ody?”

Troilus rolled his eyes. “I’m only doing this so that we can find out friends faster. I don’t care about Odysseus’s safety.”

Odysseus smirked. “Good. Then that means I don’t have to sweat it if you can’t keep up.” He jumped over the icy wall to locate Juan and Virgil. However, he didn’t go on alone. The others started to chase after him too.

*~*

Time felt almost meaningless to Luciano at this point. He didn’t understand how long Ahriman kept him a prisoner now and had no intention to take a guess. Instead, he focused on Ahriman’s last words. The notion that he was responsible for Ahriman’s existence, for pulling him out of the dark recesses of William’s heart proved too overwhelming.

Luciano couldn’t understand how something like that was possible. But Ahriman appeared convinced that Luciano did know, or, at least, could uncover the truth. Everything that Ahriman said sounded like clues, pieces of a far more complicated puzzle than anything that Luciano encountered before. None of it made sense, though, not without him having some type of awareness on what Ahriman could possibly be.

“Lust. Desire,” whispered Luciano. “What do sins have to do with anything?”

He closed his eyes. He attempted to recall anything from his training that could help. But nothing came to the surface that might help. He slammed his fists onto his lap with the dark chains that kept him restrained rattling. 

A soft laugh echoed across the chamber. 

Ahriman stepped from the shadows and walked with an odd pep in his steps. “Think. Think. Think, pretty light. Use that big brain of yours. Maybe you’ll find the answers.”

Luciano growled. “Fuck you! I don’t need you mocking me.”

Ahriman placed a hand over his heart and gasped. “I would never! I’m very sincere when it comes to that big brain. But you’re not taping that potential!” Ahriman huffed. He patted his cheek while pacing in front of Luciano. “Why not? Why haven’t you awakened as I did? I manifested because of your presence. Does that mean you need a trigger too?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The reason we’re all here!” Ahriman shouted. His eyes darkened with his veins bulging further. His voice cracked a little before he took a deep breath. “We are all here because of the sacrifices that our elders made. They sought to defy the natural order, to break one of the most sacred of taboos in all of reality. They violated death! So we must pay the price of their sins!” Ahriman sighed. “No. It was his decision. But we’re all still facing the consequences.”

The words meant nothing to Luciano. Ahriman spoke in a mindless rant, or, at least, it appeared mindless. Without Ahriman saying any names, Luciano could decipher the significance of anything. All Luciano could understand was that someone broke the rules of death, but he knew of no one capable of such a feat. Other than ancient Keyblade Wielders like the Master of Masters and the Foretellers.

Could that be it? Could that be the connection? Luciano still wasn’t certain.

Ahriman laughed. “You’re not ready. You can’t be like me yet. Not until you break.” Ahriman dropped to his knees and crawled a little closer to Luciano. But Luciano kicked and knocked Ahriman’s shoulder. “Feisty. I like it.” Ahriman grabbed onto Luciano’s ankles to keep him further immobilized. “Hm, maybe he’s the reason you can’t see.”

“He?” 

“Yes. The wayward wind used to fuel your existence.”

That phrase. Wayward Wind. Luciano could recall it from his studies, but he wasn’t sure where he knew it. However, he finally had something to go on, and if he played with Ahriman, then he could get more information.

Luciano closed his eyes. “And what fuels your existence? Are you tied to the wind too?”

Ahriman laughed and poked Luciano’s nose. “As if. My existence isn’t as fragile as yours.”

Again, Luciano felt something scratching at his memory. He couldn’t tell if it came from his studies or somewhere else as he now could feel the hammering in his heart. So many words. So many phrases. They all carried a deeper meaning that he wanted to uncover their origins desperately. 

“Just tell me!”

Ahriman grinned. His eyes flashed yellow with him showing an involuntary tick. “That anger. It’s a pretty one, kiddo. Keep it burning. It might help you.” Ahriman took a deep breath. He looked over his shoulder with his eyes staring not at the wall but something beyond this room. He smiled once more. “It’s finally time.”

Luciano raised his eyebrows. “For what?”

“Us to go on a field trip!” Ahriman grabbed Luciano’s arm and dragged him to his feet. “Come. Maybe seeing your friends and father die will be the perfect trigger for you.”

“What!” gasped Luciano.

Luciano went without an answer as a Corridor of Darkness swallowed them. 

*~*

The fire burned through Tortuga while the Keyblade Wielders continued to skirmish. 

A Protea dueled a Harlequin on the roof of a burning building. The Protea’s Rumbling Rose and the Harlequin’s Pumpkinhead clashed with silvery sparks flashing from every blow. The fight only ended when the Protea managed to riposte the Harlequin’s attack to stab it through the heart. 

The Harlequin gasped as it dropped to the ground. Its body began to disintegrate in a grayish light.

The Protea removed his mask to reveal a blue-skinned man with black hair. “A Replica? So some of the Harlequins are Replicas?” The Protea gasped when Fenrir burst forth from his chest. He dropped his Rumbling Rose as life quickly faded from his eyes. 

Virgil extracted his Keyblade, allowing the Protea to drop dead. He flicked Fenrir to remove the blood before turning to smile at the carnage while his eyes flashed to their natural, amber color. “Poor flower. You bloomed too soon and needed to get trimmed.” Virgil jumped from the burning roof and landed without any trouble. He spotted Odysseus charging down the road when he felt a spike in energy.

Virgil jumped to narrowly avoid a barrage of blue lightning.

“I should’ve known.” Virgil laughed. He engulfed Fenrir in fire before flinging it across the road, where Juan emerged to block the attack with Sleeping Lion.

A powdery blue aura grew from Juan’s Keyblade as he withstood Virgil’s efforts to knock him off balance. Virgil flicked his wrist to recall his Keyblade with them soon, meeting each other’s gaze.

Juan twisted his arms and Sleeping Lion to closely guard his face. “I knew you were up to no good, Virgil. But to think you’d go so far as to lead the Harlequins.”

Virgil chuckled. “Oh, Juan. Save the speech for someone who’d actually care. You clearly owe no loyalties to anyone. Certainly, not Layla.”

Juan charged with their Keyblades connecting. A shockwave of energy rippled across the intersection: the wooden doors and window panels shattered with twigs raining down around them.

They dragged their Keyblades apart before colliding once more. They continued to trade blows while the carnage continued around them.

Meanwhile, Odysseus huffed as he decided to interfere in their battle. 

End of Pain burned in Odysseus’s hand. He swung his Keyblade, forcing Juan and Virgil to split apart.

Juan widened his eyes as he didn’t know how to interpret the situation.

However, Virgil beamed when he saw Odysseus. “Ah, apprentice. You always did have a certain flair when it came to arriving whenever I needed you most.”

“Oh?” Odysseus straightened his posture. “Well, it took you long enough to appreciate my worth.” Odysseus twisted End of Pain as he raised his Keyblade and lunged after Virgil. “A shame that it’s too late!” Odysseus swung at Virgil, but Virgil managed to avoid the attack.

Virgil landed closer to the nearby pond with a cliff overlooking it. “You would betray me, boy! After all that I’ve done for you?”

Odysseus laughed. “Newsflash, Virgil. You're a shitty Master. And a horrible leader. You need to get replaced!”

“Miserable creatin,” hissed Virgil. “You will pay!”

Juan smirked as he turned towards Odysseus. “I appreciate the assistance.”

“Fuck off,” said Odysseus. “I’m not here to help you. I’m here to stop a Keyblade War and to keep your son from losing his father.”

A wave of dark fire rushed after them. They jumped aside, with Virgil launching himself between them as he attempted to cut them down with Fenrir.

However, a barrage of energy blasts shot from down the road. Virgil conjured a diamond-like barrier around himself as reinforcements appeared.

Brendan, Troilus, Doron, and Thomas finally caught up to help after clearing out some Proteas and Harlequins that got in their way.

Virgil growled. “It doesn’t matter how many of you there are. I will cut you all down!” Darkness flared from Virgil’s body as he charged into a fight against everyone without the slightest hesitation.

*~*

The Corridor of Darkness opened on the cliff. Luciano stumbled towards the edge only for Ahriman to grab him by the collar of his shirt.

Luciano gasped when he recognized everyone fighting Virgil near the pond, including his father. He breathed deeply as he prepared to scream only for Ahriman to pull him from the edge and cover his mouth.

Ahriman leaned close to Luciano’s ear. “Say one word, and they all die.”

Luciano pursed his lips. He took Ahriman’s threat seriously since Ahriman already proved himself as a dangerous adversary. He had no other choice but to watch as everyone fought, while it took him a moment longer to feel the heat of Tortuga and realize the chaos befalling the city.

It wasn’t easy to make out everyone else, but he soon realized that various Keyblade Wielders fought against each other. 

“What is happening?” whispered Luciano.

Ahriman chuckled. “The beginning of a beautiful war.” 

Near the pond, Virgil struck the ground with Fenrir. Lightning appeared and electrified the immediate area. Juan, Odysseus, and the others howled as the electrical currents struck them. They nearly dropped their Keyblades, allowing Virgil to start his next attack.

Virgil moved to strike Doron only for Thomas to cast a Reflect spell. The hexagon barriers blocked the attack, allowing Troilus and Odysseus to strike Virgil from behind. However, their attack failed when Virgil blasted them with dark spears of ice. Brendan launched a fire spell to melt the ice while Juan attempted to cut Virgil down.

Ahriman continued to express his giddiness on the cliff. “Yes! Let them all perish!’ Ahriman licked his lips and let out a deep moan. “Harlequins and Proteas, fight your pitiful hearts out. Destroy each other. Create more chaos! Destroy all balance!”

“What are you talking about?” asked Luciano. “Are you the one that started this?”

“I dropped hints to both sides. Pushing them to the breaking point.” Ahriman tapped his index fingers together. “You’d be surprised how easy this all was. Everyone is so quick to draw their Keyblades. No one even hesitates in the slightest. It proves how constant the cycle of a Keyblade War is; how conflict is never-ending with mortal hearts.”

Ahriman laughed. “It’s a real shame.”

Luciano huffed. “You actually care for the pitiful nature of the human condition?”

“Oh, fancy thoughts are coming from the big brain.” Ahriman poked Luciano’s head. “I don’t care. All I am is a creature of chaos. Something that wants to see it all burn.” Ahriman looked at the battle beneath them. Juan and Virgil continued a deadly dance between Masters, while Odysseus and the others tried to intervene only to get brushed aside. “It’s a real shame that you can’t think of a solution to save them. That big brain of yours could change everything.”

Luciano growled as he tried to punch Ahriman only for Ahriman to grab his wrists. “I hate you! Don’t think I won’t find a way to rip you from William.”

Ahriman smirked. “Honestly, I’d like to see you try.” Ahriman looked up to the sky, a smile crossing his pasty face. “Ah, I should’ve known. Of course, you’d sense the chaos. Now, the real fun can begin.”

“What?” Luciano looked to the sky.

A warp appeared in the sky with a vortex of violet energy forming. The vortex grew more expansive with the howling of engines. Dozens of figures emerged from the maelstrom with Luciano recognizing the appearance of Keyblade Gliders with the figures wearing the Order’s newest form of Keyblade Armor.

“Oh no,” whispered Luciano.

“Oh, yes.” Ahriman chuckled. “Let the war begin!”

*~*

It only got worse with the Order’s presence. A third faction of Keyblade Wielders was the last thing that Tortuga needed as it only escalated the conflict.

A red-headed woman from the Order slashed the throat of a Harlequin with her Lady Luck Keyblade, while a gray-skinned man engulfed a Protea in flames. A Harlequin stabbed a blonde man from the Order while his back was turned. Meanwhile, a Protea and an Order Wielder stabbed each other in the chest. 

The conflict continued. More Keyblade Wielders fell, while others survived only to draw more blood from an opponent. Luciano couldn’t see much of the fighting from the cliff, but he could smell the coppery scent of blood in the air. Tears ran down his face while he watched the madness unfold. He couldn’t see any outcome that didn’t result in massive casualties on all sides.

“This is hell,” whispered Luciano.

Ahriman laughed as he spread his arms out. “And it's so beautiful!”

Luciano looked beneath them to find Virgil easily crushing his friends and Juan. Even with their powers combined, Virgil’s Darkness proved too powerful of a foe. 

However, Juan managed to get in close to strike Virgil’s shoulder. The Sleeping Lion tore through flesh, appearing to slow Virgil down enough for the others to get a breather. That respite ended with Virgil raising Fenrir to conjure a barrage of lightning that left them momentarily paralyzed while he tended to his injured shoulder.

Luciano shook his head. He stared at Ahriman with more tears pouring. “Enough of this! William, you have to come back to us. You can’t let Ahriman kill our friends.”

“Why not?” Ahriman laughed. He knelt over and brushed some of the tears from Luciano’s face. “They’re only getting in the way of our happy ending. Let them die.” He licked Luciano’s tears from his finger, savoring the mildly salty taste.

Luciano closed his eyes. If he were going to get William back then, he would need to find a way to reach out to William’s heart. No matter Ahriman’s connection, be he a possessor or alternate personality, Luciano needed to believe in William. But Luciano needed to be sincere; he needed to dig deep within himself to find the courage to speak his true feelings for William.

“Because I love you, William! We all love you!”

Ahriman flinched. His dark eyes started to return to a golden color while the bulging veins began to retract. A twitch appeared on his face as he began to back away. He grabbed onto his face and caged a scream, building it from his lungs.

“William,” whispered Luciano as he stood in disbelief that he found a way to reach William’s heart. “Please. Help us.”

Ahriman scratched at his face. However, with his gloves covering his nails, he couldn’t dig deep enough to draw blood. He heaved, his chest puffing in and out before he finally dropped to his knees. His fingers dug into the dirt until finally, he slammed his fist.

He looked up at Luciano with tears pouring from his eyes now. “Luciano,” wept William.

“William.” Luciano crawled over. 

William noticed the chains. He immediately summoned Lost Memory to his side and pointed the tip at the chains. A burst of gentle light emerged to shatter the chains holding Luciano prisoner. Luciano rubbed his sore wrists as he got closer. “I’m so sorry,” cried William. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know Ahriman was me.”

Luciano placed his hands on William’s shoulders. “He’s not. He is something else. Something...unnatural.” 

“But part of me.” William’s voice cracked. “And there’s only one way to stop him.” William turned the blade of Lost Memory against himself. He prepared to stab himself in the heart only for Luciano to grab onto the Keyblade. 

The blade cut Luciano’s hands. The fresh blood stained the ivory-colored blade. 

And with his blood drawn, Luciano’s vision blurred. It wasn’t due to him easily fainting at the sight of blood, but from tampering with his heart. A deeper connection arose that led him to see William as someone else. Instead of William, he saw a man with scars on his face and an eye-patch over his right eye. The man’s silver and black hair alarmed Luciano at first, but only startled him further when he saw his amber-colored eye: a man that he knew as Luxu.

Luciano gasped. He turned to the edge of the cliff to find his vision continuing to play tricks on him. He saw Juan and Virgil as themselves, but the others changed too. As Odysseus avoided an attack from Virgil, a white, unicorn mask appeared on his face. A dark-gray, bear mask covered Thomas’s face while he created a barrier to shield himself and Troilus, who now bore a blue, snake-like mask. Meanwhile, Doron wore a white fox mask as he carried Brendan to safety as he now wore a white leopard mask. He recognized those masks as those belonging to the Foretellers that once served as the Master of Masters’ apprentices. 

A scream echoed in Luciano’s mind once he turned away. He saw a dark-haired man and a blue-haired woman running towards him before noticing his hands appearing different. The image twisted itself so that Luciano saw a blond-haired boy with bright-blue eyes fall to the ground. He recognized the boy as the Keyblade Warrior, Ventus, which meant the other two had to be Master Terra and Master Aqua. His vision shifted once more as he saw standing over Ventus was a Black Coat who held a heart in his hand. From the hood, Luciano could see a blue eye with cat-like irises stare back at him and felt a smile appear from underneath the hood.

Luciano pulled his hands away from William’s Keyblade. Luciano gasped for air while William leaned over to immediately heal his hands. 

“You need to let me die,” said William. “That way, Ahriman can’t return.”

Luciano stared at William. He thought of his final vision and recalled a lesson he learned in class. Before Master Sora defeated the Master of Masters, it was said that the Master killed Ventus. So the Black Coat and the eye that he saw belonged to that of the Master of Masters. So why did he see these visions now? What was the deeper connection?

“Why do you look like Luxu?” asked Luciano.

William’s eyes widened as he finished healing him. “Luxu?” he whispered. His heart began to hammer against his chest with him crawling away. “No! He’s coming.” 

“William!” screamed Luciano.

William jumped to his feet. The veins bulge against his skin once more, with his eyes darkened as Ahriman took control once more. Ahriman licked his chapped lips. “Luxu? I haven’t heard that name in so long.” He turned his gaze to Luciano while he continued to hold Lost Memory in his hand. “It would seem that you’re finally digging into that big brain of yours.”

“Stop mocking me!” Luciano summoned Divewing to his hand. He sprang to his feet as he grabbed the handle of his Keyblade with both hands. “Tell me what is happening! Why do you have Luxu’s face? Why do our friends look like the Foretellers? Why did I see the Master of Masters kill Ventus!”

“Think. Think. Think,” said Ahriman.

Luciano growled. “Tell me!” He pointed Divewing at Ahriman with powerful magic radiating around him. His hair blew in the breeze while rays of light gathered beneath his feet. A burning flare of light manifested from the tip of his Keyblade before it shot at Ahriman.

Ahriman’s eyes widened as he didn’t expect Luciano to generate such magic at this time. The flare crashed against him, unleashing a massive explosion as Ahriman got thrown to the rainforest behind him.

*~*

The explosion from the hill jolted Odysseus from his focus on the fight. The momentary lapse in focus would’ve cost him his life too had he not heard Doron screaming his name. He dodged rolled from Virgil’s swing to avoid a direct hit to the chest. 

Odysseus prepared to swing End of Pain only for Troilus to jump between them. Troilus shoved Virgil back, allowing Thomas and Brendan to bombard Virgil with Thunder spells. 

“You would save my ass?” asked Odysseus.

“Don’t get used to it,” said Troilus.

A scream came from uphill with them looking up to find Luciano jumping. They gasped as that was the last thing they expected to see.

Troilus pointed Missing Ache at Odysseus. “Get him! Aero!” A blast of wind shot from the Keyblade to lift Odysseus into the air.

Odysseus dismissed his Keyblade so that he could grab Luciano in his arms. Luciano wrapped his arms around Odysseus’s neck, holding onto him tight. The Aero spell gave Odysseus enough lift that he flew towards the cliff. He kicked his legs against the rocky wall to land towards the others while keeping Luciano safe. 

They landed as Juan kicked Virgil to the pond. Brendan and Doron slammed their Keyblades to the ground to create a frozen prison to cage Virgil.

“Luciano!” Thomas rushed towards them with everyone else soon following.

Luciano slipped free from Odysseus’s arms. “Thanks for the save.”

Odysseus stared at Luciano with wide eyes. “How are you here? Where’s William? And Ahriman?”

“It’s complicated. But I kicked Ahriman’s ass. He shouldn’t come back for a while.” Luciano felt Doron hug him from behind since he recognized the rosy scent. “As for William, he is Ahriman, but he’s also not Ahriman because he also has Luxu and Xigbar in him. Maybe more people too.”

Brendan squinted his eyes. “Luxu? Xigbar? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Doron released Luciano as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you saying that William has dead people living inside of him?”

Luciano shook his head. “Something weird is happening with William, and it’s all tied to us too.” Luciano turned to Juan. He grabbed onto his father’s hands. “What do you know about Sora’s final battle with the Master of Masters? What really happened to Ventus? The Master of Masters didn’t just kill him. He did something else with Ventus’s heart.”

Juan gasped. The relief he felt having his son back gone from such a strange question. He didn’t get why Luciano would suddenly ask him such a question, although it had an answer that The Order kept buried deep in the shadows. “How do you know about that?” asked Juan. “Did Ahriman tell you?”

“No. I...I saw it happen. Like a memory.”

Juan’s mouth hung open. “A memory. Does that mean he succeeded? Is that why your heart is so different from all the others?”

“In what!” screamed Luciano. “What did the Master of Masters do?”

“He broke a taboo regarding the laws of death.”

Before Juan could further explain, the ice shattered. They turned to find Virgil unleashing enough dark energy to free himself. He ascended to the sky and landed on a nearby building, while the clash of Harlequins, Proteas, and the Order continued behind them.

Virgil summoned Fenrir to his hand once more. His eyes zeroed in on Luciano’s presence then glanced to the cliff to sense a dark presence that was both familiar and different. “I knew there was something wrong with that boy’s heart.” Virgil seethed. He twisted his Keyblade towards Luciano and the others as darkness exploded around him. “I’ll fix that mistake. Starting with eliminating the rest of you!”

Virgil jumped from the roof with the Darkness wrapping around his body. “Meteor Crash!” He charged Fenrir with energy and slammed it to the ground. Meteors formed above him and quickly came to rain down upon them.

However, Luciano stepped in before anyone else could act. Divewing manifested in his hand as he glared at Virgil. “Get out of our way! Salvation!” Luciano swung Divewing above him, which summoned a massive column of light that demolished the incoming meteors. The light further grew and crashed into Virgil, repelling him towards a nearby building.

The light pushed farther with it demolishing the building as it sent Virgil hurling across Tortuga. 

Everyone stood with mouths agape as they never saw Luciano manifest such a level of power before now.

Odysseus carefully touched Luciano on the shoulder so as not to risk frightening him. “That was incredible. You defeated a Master with a single blow?”

Luciano heaved. He struck Divewing into the ground to help keep himself standing. “Virgil’s gone, but we still have to worry about Ahriman.”

They followed Luciano’s gaze as he looked up to a hill where Ahriman stood with his hood removed. They witnessed for themselves that Ahriman and William indeed were the same, but sensed something far worse at work.

Ahriman stumbled out from the rainforest, brushing the dirt and foliage from his cloak. He looked at the edge of the cliff to find that Luciano found his way back to his companions. His eyes darkened at the sight while acid boiled in his chest. 

“You would ruin all that we could have, pretty light.” Ahriman threw his arm out with dark lightning crackling over him. The lightning coalesced to transform into a ball of violet energy that he shot into the sky. “Since you will not come with me willingly, then I will kill all you hold dear and drag your lifeless body!” 

The violet energy erupted, spreading out to consume the horizon over Tortuga with a portal opening. Screams filled the city with the Keyblade Wielders getting pulled into the sky by the powerful, gravitational pull of Ahriman’s spell.

Luciano felt his body become weightless and saw everyone else soon getting dragged into the sky. He reached out to grab Odysseus’s hand then felt Doron grab onto his leg. Brendan caught Doron’s free hand, while Troilus grabbed Odysseus’s leg and Thomas caught Brendan’s other arm. Juan got separated from them as he floated closer towards Virgil and the other Wielders.

Luciano’s eyes darted to the cliff to find Ahriman floating in the sky with them while he bore a wicked smile on his face.

“Where are you taking us, bastard!” shouted Luciano.

Ahriman laughed as he fell silent as they entered the portal, and everything faded black.


	9. Mark of Truth

A violet rift opened over the dark sky.

Dozens of Keyblade Wielders fell from the sky with Luciano, Juan, and the group amongst them. They landed on the streets of a city and soon noticed their surroundings. They were far removed from the beachy view of Tortuga, and instead, they found themselves in an urban setting.

It took quite a bit of work for their vision to adjust. The dark surroundings proved quite difficult for them to recognize as it was a space that no Keyblade Wielder dared to go due to its close proximity to the Realm of Darkness.

Every Keyblade Wielder summoned their weapons, preparing for whatever they might face.

Luciano called Divewing to his hand. “This is unbelievable! Ahriman brought us all here.”

Thomas gulped, while he started to slowly get on his feet. “I’ll never underestimate William again. Or was this even William’s doing? You said he had Luxu in him?”

“Forget that part!” Troilus flicked his wrist to summon Abyssal Tide. His eyes glued to the dark city with a starry sky contrasting the ominous glow of the buildings. “We have bigger things to worry over—this world. We’re in The World That Never Was. Organization XIII’s old base of operations. Who knows how many Heartless will come now.”

Shadows grew across the city. Every Wielder became antsy. Even, Virgil appeared on edge as he raised Fenrir. 

Brendan nodded. “There are too many Wielders here. Our Light will draw the Heartless here.”

“We’re going to die,” said Doron. 

“Don’t give up so easily,” said Odysseus. “Enjoy the coming battle.”

Juan clenched onto the hilt of Sleeping Lion as the shadows all around them began to stir. Yellow eyes appeared from the shadows, signaling to everyone the trouble that waited for them. “Brace yourselves!”

From the roof of a building, Ahriman finally made his appearance. He walked to the ledge and grinned when he saw all the frightened Wielders beneath him. He raised his arm then snapped his fingers, causing the shadows to explode. 

In that instant, a horde of Heartless erupted from their hiding places. The Heartless easily numbered in the thousands, and given the proximity to the Realm of Darkness, they were stronger than before, which put every Keyblade Wielder on the line of fire. The Heartless horde distracted the Order, Harlequins, and Proteas from their war, as they couldn’t afford to risk any confusion or else risk certain death.

*~*

The battle raged across the Dark City. Wielders clashed against the hordes of Shadows, Neoshadows, Darkballs, and Invisibles. Even the weak Shadows proved stronger than usual, with them feasting on the energies produced from the Realm of Darkness. 

Standing on the ledge of a building, Ahriman laughed over the Wielders’ misery and relished when he witnessed some die. A blonde-haired Wielder fell to the ground with a group of Neoshadows dicing the Wielder to pieces.

Meanwhile, Luciano guarded himself as a Darkball slammed itself against Divewing. “This isn’t good. We need to find a way to leave this world before we all die!” He shoved the Darkball before slicing it in half. 

A Neoshadow tried to attack Luciano from behind, but Odysseus protected him. Odysseus blasted the Neoshadow with a fireball. “You need to pay attention to your surroundings.” Odysseus spun to keep guard over Luciano. “We just got you back from Ahriman. I’d hate to see you die from being careless.”

Luciano blushed, not that anyone would notice given how dark the city appeared. He lunged forward to slash a Shadow.

Juan jumped against the wall of a building to get closer to an incoming Invisible. He engulfed Sleeping Lion with lightning before slashing it. He landed close to Luciano and Odysseus; he raised Sleeping Lion to unleash an Aero spell to blow the other Heartless away to give them a moment to catch their breath. “We need to find a way to evacuate everyone. We can’t afford to stay in this world for much longer.

“Agreed!” said Odysseus. 

Luciano sighed as he looked at Juan. “We still need to talk about Ventus and the Master of Masters. You mentioned that he broke a taboo. What was the taboo?”

Juan shook his head. He kept close as the Heartless started to return. “It’s a forbidden art, much like everything else that the Master of Masters did.” Juan slashed a Darkball, while Odysseus bashed an Invisible, and Luciano summoned lightning. “The Master sought reincarnation.” 

“Reincarnation?” Odysseus blasted a Darkball with another fireball. “That’s a thing too? Why bother with reincarnation when it’s already possible to recall hearts and build replicas?”

“Because not all hearts can be recalled,” continued Juan. “Some hearts are so lost that not even recalling them is enough to bring that person back to life. That is why reincarnation is necessary, but it requires great sacrifice.”

Luciano slashed a Shadow as he remembered the vision he had of the Master of Masters holding Ventus’s heart. “You have to kill someone and take their heart?”

Juan nodded. “Your heart must also devour their heart; then, you must die.”

Odysseus nearly vomited while he fended off a Darkball’s attack. “Did the Master succeed in devouring Ventus’s heart?”

“It was never confirmed,” said Juan, “but...if Luciano is having these visions then…”

Luciano guarded himself against an Invisible’s sword as he had tears running down his face. “Does that mean I’m the Master’s reincarnation? And Ventus’s heart was used to bring me to life?” He nearly lost his breath from the thought. He couldn’t believe that something like that was possible, especially him having a direct tie to the Master of Masters.

Juan nodded. “Possibly.”

“What of William though!” Odysseus said, quickly changing the subject. “Is he tied to Luxu?”

“I don’t know. Luxu had many secrets. He was known for body jumping, but it’s possible that he also used reincarnation too.”

More Heartless surrounded them. They didn’t have the time to theorize the Master’s actions or the possibility of Luciano and William’s connections. Luciano couldn’t take the time to even allow himself to recall the visions of the Foretellers’ masks he saw on his friends’ faces. 

They needed to focus on surviving and escaping before it was too late.

*~*

Meanwhile, the others held their own as they approached Memory Skyscraper. They fought through the narrow streets, blasting every Heartless that crossed them.

Troilus relied on direct assaults. He defied gravity as he ran across a building and slashed at some Heartless. A few Darkballs attempted to attack him while he finished an incoming Neoshadow, but he got his support. Thomas jumped onto a streetlamp and launched a barrage of Blizzard spells from Spellbinder. Icy needles ripped through the flying heads, blasting them back into the Darkness.

Doron did a backflip before an Invisible could strike with its sword. He tossed Missing Ache, performing a Strike Raid to rip apart the Heartless. He summoned Keyblade to his hand again and launched after another Heartless.

Brendan swung Wheel of Fate with a chain of lightning forming that he used to electrify the street. The slithering Shadows and Neoshadows exploded from the electrical current as he cleared them a path forward. “We need to keep moving,” said Brendan. “I saw Luciano and the others near the skyscraper.”

“Right!” Troilus landed back on the streets. “Move it!”

They ran up the street and attacked any Heartless that came at them. Most of the Heartless were too distracted as they picked off the other Wielders. Their stomachs churned as they saw the other Wielders struggle and fall against the hordes of Heartless. They couldn’t do much to offer any support as they needed to prioritize stopping Ahriman and escaping this dangerous world.

They crossed the dark streets to reach the highest building in the city. The Memory Skyscraper watched over the city with several TV screens illuminating the street. 

Luciano and Odysseus stayed close together while fending off a group of Neoshadows, while Juan finished a pair of Invisibles. 

“Guys!” shouted Brendan.

Odysseus slashed a Neoshadow before looking over his shoulder to spot the others. “About time. We were starting to get worried that the Heartless got to you first.”

They reunited beneath the skyscraper. 

Doron rested Missing Ache on his shoulder. “So, what’s the plan to get off this rock before Ahriman kills us all?”

Luciano looked up to the buildings. While he couldn’t spot Ahriman, he could sense Ahriman’s presence nearby. “Whatever we do, we have to act quickly.”

Thomas fired a Thunder spell before a Darkball could strike Juan from behind. Juan smirked as they cleared the last of the Heartless in the immediate area. “Thanks,” said Juan. “I’ll call for an immediate evacuation of the Proteas. If we start to flee, then Virgil and the Harlequins will likely take the hint too. So will the Order.”

Thomas squinted his eyes. “I don’t think anyone is going to evacuate now.”

“Why?” asked Juan. “There isn’t a Darkside in the area?”

“No, but I’m seeing Master Layla,” said Thomas.

They gasped as they looked a rift in the sky close with Master Layla arriving in Keyblade Armor with her Divine Rose drawn. 

Layla landed at the bottom of the skyscraper. She deactivated her armor and revealed the white suit she wore underneath. She swung Divine Rose as she took notice of them. “I received word of what happened at Port Royal.” She descended down the steps with her eyes glued to Juan and Odysseus. “I’m aware that you and Virgil work against the Order. As for the rest of you, I’ll give you a second chance because of your naivety.” She raised her Keyblade to them. “Surrender now, and you’ll be shown mercy. Continue to side with the Proteas or Harlequins then you’ll die with the others.”

Juan shook his head. “Now isn’t the time for threats, Layla. We should focus on evacuating everyone from this world.”

“I’ve already sent word to my comrades,” said Layla. “They’ve already begun to evacuate. I’m only here to eliminate the traitors like you!”

“Oh, so angry. I love it.”

They all looked to the right as Virgil jumped over an overturned truck. He dragged the tip of Fenrir against the street. 

Layla glared at Virgil as she raised Divine Rose at him. “Don’t you dare speak to me, Virgil! After everything we’ve been through, you would turn against the Order. And you dare lead the Harlequins against us!” 

Virgil shrugged with a smile spreading across his face. “That’s exactly why I’m doing this. It’s time I step out of your shadow and bring the world under my rule!”

“Selfish bastard!” Layla launched herself at Virgil, with them crossing Keyblades.

Juan turned to fire a golden light into the sky that erupted like a firework. He glanced over to see Layla and Virgil continuing to duel with sparks scattering across the street. “The Proteas will start their escape now,” said Juan. “The rest of you get out of here. I’ll keep Layla and Virgil distracted.”

Odysseus nodded. “Good luck, Juan.”

Luciano squeezed Juan’s arm. “Be careful, dad.” Juan nodded before he chased after Layla and Virgil. He crossed Keyblades with them too. Once Juan had their undivided attention, he started to run up a nearby building with them chasing.

With the coast clear, Brendan tossed a pair of bracelets to Odysseus and Luciano. “That’s an extra set of Keyblade Armor,” said Brendan. 

“Let’s not waste any more time.” Doron activated his Keyblade Armor with the others, soon following his example. “I know a world that we can escape to.” He pointed Missing Ache forward and fired a blast of energy. A silver and blue portal opened in front of them, granting them a clear escape from The World That Never Was. 

However, before they could make their escape, a Corridor of Darkness opened near the portal.

Ahriman stepped out with a grin. “Why do you want to leave me so soon? I thought we were going to play a little more?”

Troilus rolled his eyes. “Great. This asshole.”

Odysseus pointed End of Pain at Ahriman. “Enough of this! Whatever you are, get the hell out of my William!”

“How cute.” Ahriman chuckled. “The muscle bottom has a bit of a temper and isn’t quite as submissive on the streets like he is in bed.” Odysseus glared, while Ahriman continued to laugh. Ahriman extended his hand out to the portal that Doron created. “But, back to my point, none of you are leaving yet. I’m not done.”

“You are now!” Luciano grabbed onto the handle of Divewing with both hands. He pointed the tip of his Keyblade at Ahriman. A dozen stars gathered at the tip before releasing an intense blast of light that struck Ahriman’s shoulder. 

The light propelled Ahriman through the windows of a nearby building. 

Thomas fired a massive Blizzard spell that created a wall of ice from the broken windows. It wouldn’t do much but hold Ahriman for a moment, but it would do the trick. “We need to leave now! Doron, does the portal still have its proper coordinates?”

“It’s ready.” Doron quickly scanned the portal as he gestured to everyone to cross. “Move those tight asses!”

Everyone ran into the portal with their Keyblade Armor shielding them as they entered the Oceans Between to the destination that Doron programmed.

*~*

A portal opened up in a back alley with Doron leading them to safety. Their Keyblade Armor deactivated now that they no longer needed it. They stepped out to a busy sidewalk and found a brightly lit city that contrasted significantly from The World That Never Was. Massive turbine blimps flew over the skyscrapers.

The technologically advanced metropolis appeared far safer, which allowed them to lower their guard as they didn’t see any trace of Ahriman or Heartless. 

“Where are we?” asked Brendan.

“San Fransokyo!” Doron said, cheerfully. He gestured to them to follow as they walked the busy sidewalk as a group. Despite how oddly some of them dressed, they blended in fairly well with the crowd as the city was large enough that they didn’t appear too out of the ordinary. “I figured this was the best place for us to lay low. And we have a lot of data to examine.”

Luciano raised his eyebrows. “What data?”

Thomas kept close. “We got more data from the computer in the old mansion. We suspect that Luxu used the computer before and left some journal entries.”

“A journal!” Luciano shook his head. “What is with these old guys conveniently leaving journals behind?”

Troilus shrugged. “It makes our lives easier. Hopefully, we can find some answers on what’s going on with William.”

Odysseus took hold of Luciano’s hand as they started to cross the street together. Luciano smiled while Odysseus kept his eyes on the road. “I take it that you have connections here, Doron. Otherwise, we probably wouldn’t be here. Where are we going?”

Doron grinned. “Of course, I have connections! I’m a friendly guy. Everyone loves me.” He pointed to a massive university near downtown. “We’re going to the Tadashi Hamada School of Science and Technology! They have some of the best equipment in all the worlds. They blow Radiant Garden’s tech to shame. So if we’re going to uncover Luxu’s data then it’s going to be through their computers!”

Doron skipped to school with everyone else following as they didn’t feel Doron’s level of excitement.

*~*

The surviving Keyblade Wielders fled into portals as they hoped to escape The World That Never Was.

Meanwhile, Layla decimated the Heartless around her before racing after Juan and Virgil once more. Her eyes burned with rage as she smashed Divine Rose against a Neoshadow’s face as she pressed onward. She screamed at the top of her lungs. “Filthy traitors! I will kill you for betraying the Light!”

Juan shoved a Protea into a portal, while Virgil jumped from a building to get within range of attacking an Invisible. 

Layla finally got close enough to strike. She slashed at Virgil as he defeated the Heartless. Their Keyblades connected with the impact causing the windows of the nearby building to shatter. Glass rained down to the street, while Juan cast a barrier spell to guard himself.

Virgil smirked. “Your tone seems very pointed right now.” 

“Bastard.” Layla broke their contact with them floating to the ground. “You always got under my skin, Virgil. And to think, you’re the one leading the Harlequins. You disgust me!”

“Sticks and stones, Layla.” Virgil swung Fenrir after Layla, but she blocked the attack.

The glass debris slid across Juan’s barrier. He dropped the guard before charging after Layla and Virgil. “Enough of this madness! We can’t fight each other when we have bigger threats.”

Layla glared at Juan. “Silence! Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you. Have you been plotting against the Order since you left us the first time?” Layla kicked Virgil before lashing out to slash Juan.

Juan blocked the attack. “Will you listen to yourself, Layla! Your obsession with the Order’s domination of everything is making you blind!”

“My devotion,” corrected Layla.

Laughter echoed from above. They looked up to find Ahriman diving from a nearby rooftop to join them. 

Layla squinted. “William? So you’re Ahriman.”

Ahriman poked at his forehead. “William isn’t in the driver’s seat. I’m the one in control.” Ahriman stumbled slightly as he recovered from Luciano’s attacks from earlier. He hated this vulnerable position but made an effort to mask his injury. “I’m sure Juan could tell you all about it. A real shame that you wouldn’t listen though.”

Ahriman flicked his wrist and caused a dark fire to ignite. “Now, let’s see how fast you burn.”

“No!” Juan pointed Sleeping Lion at Ahriman. A ray of light shot to create a portal that generated a powerful, gravitational pull as Ahriman got tugged into the vacuum of space. Ahriman growled as he got pulled into the portal.

Layla turned to Juan, while Virgil started to get on his feet. “You?” said Layla.

Juan swung his Keyblade to unleash more light. The portal started to grab them too with them responding quickly to activate their Keyblade Armor before they got tossed into the Oceans Between. “We’ll finish this another day, Layla. Virgil,” said Juan. 

Virgil growled while Layla cursed Juan as the portal separated them.

*~*

They accessed the labs of the Hamada School without any trouble, which came as a surprise to everyone except for Doron.

Doron’s charm and contacts allowed him to grease every palm that they needed to reach one of the private labs. He got them access to one of the best computers at the school. And he assured everyone that he could crack whatever secret files existed inside the old mansion’s computer.

They stood in a dark lab with the flashing lights of the computer and processor towers as the only source of light. But it also made the room surprisingly hot too. They took off any extra layers that they wore to provide some degree of comfort.

“Alright,” Doron finished loading the files into the computer, “step one is done. Now, onto the fun and hard part.”

Brendan kept his arms crossed over his chest. “Any idea how long this will take?”

“Long enough.” Doron started to punch in a few keys to start the decoding process.

“Do you need help?” asked Thomas.

Doron shook his head. “None, but I will need some quiet. And maybe some snacks from the vending machine down the hall! Anything spicy and something caffeinated if they have it.”

Troilus touched his growling stomach. “I could go for something to eat too. I’m on it.”

“I’ll go with you,” said Thomas. 

As they left the lab, Luciano looked over his shoulder to spot Odysseus leaning against a wall. Luciano sighed and went over to Odysseus with his arms behind his back. He could hear Odysseus and Ahriman’s brief conversation regarding William, which proved more bothersome the more that he thought about it.

Luciano’s lips curled. Odysseus glanced at Luciano before looking back at the computer while Doron continued his work.

“Do you have something to say?” Odysseus blurted.

“Um…” Luciano took a deep breath. “The thing you said to Ahriman. You and William. Are you? Are you dating?”

Odysseus smirked. “I wouldn’t exactly call it dating, and I’m sure that neither would he.” Odysseus unfolded his arms. He tilted his head towards Luciano, forcing them to look at one another. “But we are close, and intimate, if that’s what you really want to know. We’ve been that for years now.”

Luciano gulped. “Oh. Well, you should know that William and Iー”

“Slept together?” finished Odysseus. “That’s not a problem.”

Luciano’s eyes widened. “But you’re together. And...and you kissed me.”

From the computer, Doron and Brendan glanced over as they heard part of what Luciano said. Doron whispered to Brendan to share the gossip as he got back to work on decoding the files.

Odysseus chuckled, especially after noticing the others’ listening in on them. He spoke a bit softer to deny them the privilege of their conversation. “It’s okay. William and I’s relationship is pretty open. In fact, we’ve considered adding another guy into the mix.”

Luciano gasped as he understood Odysseus’s meaning. “Oh! You’re that kind of couple.” 

“Yeah.” Odysseus patted Luciano’s arm. “No pressure. If it’s something you’re interested in, then we can see how things work. But first, we need to find out how we’re going to stop Ahriman and save William.”

Luciano nodded when the doors opened.

Troilus and Thomas returned with an armful of snacks that they passed around.

Doron consumed half a bag of spicy chips when a ding caught his attention. “Eureka!” Doron threw his arms over his head. “I found you!”

Luciano and Odysseus abandoned their conversation for now while rejoining the others at the computer. Odysseus grinned. “So does the data contain any entries from Luxu or anything else that is remotely valuable?

With a few clicks, Doron gathered what they hoped to see. “Looks like it!” He pulled up what files that he could. The computer narrowed the selection down to three files. “This is the best that I can do. These files contain text similar to the few writings we have of Luxu. We might have our answers.”

Luciano brought a hand to his chest. His heart hammering as he thought that he might have some answers to his visions and what happened to William. “Open the files,” said Luciano. “Let’s see what Luxu wrote.”

Doron nodded. He started with the oldest file first. “There’s no clear date,” said Doron. “But the information refers to something interesting.”

Thomas squinted his eyes as he skimmed through the document. “This reminds me of the file that Eva spoke about before.” Thomas had Doron scroll the file from the beginning as he began to read it aloud. “ _I spoke with the Master again. He confirmed my fear that a Keyblade War happened before. He didn’t say much to me much, but he did tell me that the Primes were at the center of the conflict over the x-Blade. The Primes’ actions ravaged the world and angered Kingdom Hearts. But it was the Light that proved the most dangerous. The Master wouldn’t tell me the meaning of this. He only said that the conflict cost him his family, his siblings._ ”

Thomas backed away. “These Primes. Are they the gods that Eva mentioned?” He shook his head. “And the Master of Masters. He had siblings?”

Brendan shrugged. “Even the Master was a child once. It stands to reason that he had a family too.”

Odysseus leaned against Doron’s chair. “What of the next file?”

“Pulling it up!” said Doron. “Oh! This one is different. A little short though.” Doron leaned against the chair as he started to read it. “ _The Master’s Gazing Eye continues to find its successors. I keep watching as it passes countless hands, but I haven’t known its power for over a century now. One day I will. But who knows how many bodies I must claim before I do._ ”

Doron closed the file. “So Luxu was body jumping like Xehanort did.” Doron glanced over to Luciano. “You saw Luxu when you looked at William? Is it possible that Luxu survived that battle with Sora and is now trying to inhabit William’s body?”

“No.” Luciano shook his head. “Ahriman is something different. Like I am.” He whispered the last part before looking at the monitor again. They still had one file left that could give them some answers. “What about the last one? What does it tell us?”

“Let’s see.” Doron attempted to access the file only to find it blocked. “Fuck! How is this thing still password protected? My code should’ve hacked through it already.”

Troilus smirked. “Luxu was a clear one. You can’t expect it to be that easy to know all of his secrets.

Doron mumbled for a second as he tried to break through the file. He inputted a brute force code that inputted a series of passwords only to find them all unsuccessful. “Crap! This isn’t working. And it’s a six-letter password too! It’s not that complicated.”

“Try Xigbar?” suggested Brendan.

“Nope! Doesn’t work.”

“How about Ventus, then?” asked Thomas.

Doron shook his head.

Luciano closed his eyes. He could see a word appear before, one that Luxu would no doubt know as it carried significant meaning. “Supria.” 

Doron gave it a shot. He typed it in with the file becoming open. “It worked! Whoa! How did you know that, Lucy?”

Everyone turned to Luciano too, wondering how he could’ve so easily guessed Luxu’s password. Luciano frowned. “Supria. That’s the Master of Masters’ true name.”

“Shit,” whispered Doron. “I guess that does mean you share a connection.”

Odysseus patted Luciano’s back before looking to the monitor again. “This file. I think it was written before the Master’s battle with Sora.” The text wasn’t that much bigger than the others, but they could tell it carried damning information. “ _I spoke with the Master for what is likely the last time. The others don’t know his plan. He didn’t trust them like he trusts me. They have too much of a conscience to do what I can do. I’ve accepted my fate. The choices that the Master made for us. This is the only way to bring his family back. Their hearts are too far gone for a Replica, nor do we work as proper vessels. Reincarnation is the only option now. I fear what will happen to the poor bastard that is tied to me. After everything I’ve done, there will surely be some karmic consequences._ ” 

Everyone fell silent as the file confirmed the Master’s reincarnation plan and Luxu’s fate.

Brendan blinked several times as he stared blankly at the screen. “So the Master used his apprentices as a sacrifice to bring his family to life.”

Troilus looked to Luciano. “Which means than when the Master sacrificed Ventus, he made you a reincarnation for himself or one of his siblings.”

Luciano nodded as he remained silent.

“And Luxu.” Thomas sighed as he started to think more on Ahriman. “Luxu is right about karma. If William’s reincarnation is tied to Luxu, then that means he is paying the price for Luxu’s sins. Which explains how Ahriman exists.”

“All that body jumping,” said Doron. “All those lives that Luxu destroyed. That has to do something to the heart.”

Odysseus took a deep breath. “We got our answers. At least some of them.” He looked to Doron. “We should rest. Do you think you can score us some rooms for the night?”

Doron smirked, although, it wasn’t his usually friendly expression. The news proved a lot, even for him. “Yeah, I’ll get to work on that. It shouldn’t be any trouble at all.” Doron loaded the decoded files back into the drive before removing it so he could review it later. He patted Luciano on the shoulder as he left to secure them lodging.

*~*

As promised, Doron got them rooms for the night. The school’s summer sessions meant that most of the students left, so they had plenty of vacant dorms. They would sleep in dorms, which reminded them of the Academy. Although, these dorms appeared far nicer as they each got their own room with a private, but small, bathroom.

Luciano spent ages in his shower as he tried to scrub the last few days from memory. It wouldn’t work though. He continued to hear Ahriman’s taunting laughter and William’s request to die, and he could only see the conflicting images of Ventus, Luxu, and the Foretellers. And all he could think about was the possibility that he indeed was the Master of Masters reincarnated. 

No amount of soap and hot water could wash these thoughts away.

Finally, Luciano forced himself to leave the shower. He dried himself off and wrapped a towel around his waist as he went into his room. He dropped onto the bed. He tugged on the thin blanket as he rested his head on the pillows.

“What am I?” he whispered. 

A gentle pounding came from the door, pulling Luciano from his thoughts for a moment. He opened it to find Odysseus there.

Odysseus smiled. “You okay? A lot’s happened since Radiant Garden.”

Luciano huffed. He stepped away from the door to let Odysseus come inside. “Tell me about it.” He closed the door. “I don’t even know what to make of all of it. I can’t think of how we’re going to help William with his Ahriman problem.”

“Well, don’t do it alone then.” Odysseus sat on the edge of the bed with Luciano sitting beside him. “Saving William isn’t a one-person job. You’ll need help. Especially from his boyfriend.”

Luciano chuckled. “I thought you weren’t really boyfriends.”

“I’m claiming his ass.” Odysseus turned to smile at Luciano. “You can have a piece of him too, if you want.”

“Thanks,” Luciano whispered as he brushed his slick curls. “Is that why you’re here? You came to convince me to join your throuple?”

“Not right now.” Odysseus gently placed his hand over Luciano’s leg. “I am here to make sure you’re okay. You went from captive to badass warrior to possible forefather of all Keyblade Wielders within a day. It’s a lot to process.”

“It is.” Luciano sighed. “I really don’t think about it, but I can’t stop. If I’m not freaking out over what I might have done in a past life, then I’m worrying over what’s happening to William. It’s never-ending.”

Odysseus squeezed Luciano’s hand. “You can’t blame yourself for what happened in the past. It wasn’t you. They weren’t your decisions. They’re not sins to carry. Don’t blame Luciano for what Superia did.”

Luciano smirked. “Shouldn’t I?”

“No.” Odysseus kissed Luciano’s forehead. “Feel guilty over your own actions. The ones you chose to make. Not someone else’s.” Odysseus started to get out of the bed when Luciano squeezed onto his hand. Odysseus looked back to see Luciano staring at the floor. “Luciano?”

“Stay,” Luciano whispered. “Stay here. For tonight.” Odysseus nodded as he sat back on the bed. Odysseus started to lay on the bed with Luciano scooting closer and rested his head against Odysseus’s chest. “You’re weirdly nice. Even though you’re a bit of a jerk too.”

Odysseus laughed. “That’s the Spartan in me. It's the jerk side that attracted William to me.”

“I like the nice side,” whispered Luciano.

Odysseus smiled. “I can be nice too.” He rubbed a hand against Luciano’s cheek. Luciano pulled closer and leaned over so that their lips almost touched. He heard Luciano whisper to help him forget. He only nodded as he would do whatever he could.

Their lips touched with Luciano pulling onto Odysseus’s shirt as they deepened the kiss. Odysseus kept a hand on Luciano’s cheek and the other on his waist. They continued kissing with Odysseus rolling on top but kept part of his weight from crushing Luciano.

Luciano moved his arms to wrap them around Odysseus’s neck. The kiss deepened as the towel slipped with Luciano’s naked body rubbing against Odysseus’s clothes. Odysseus wasted no time in stripping out of his clothes, leaving them a discarded mess on the floor. They started to kiss again with Odysseus breathing deeper as he ran his hands over Luciano’s body. Luciano shuddered as he felt Odysseus’s thick dick graze against his thighs.

They moaned into each other’s mouths. Odysseus moved to kiss Luciano’s neck before gradually traveling lower. Soon, Odysseus took Luciano’s dick into his mouth, making Luciano gasp. He tugged on the sheets while Odysseus sucked and licked his dick. His eyes rolling back with him catching the occasional glimpse of Odysseus’s head bombing. 

Hushed moans escaped from Luciano’s lips while he lost track of time. Odysseus started to kiss Luciano’s chest. They kissed once more with Luciano rolling on top of Odysseus. He sat on Odysseus’s lap for a moment before deciding to go lower too. His smooth skin rubbed against Odysseus’s hairier body, sending shivers down his spine.

Luciano rubbed against Odysseus’s muscular body. He took time and care in feeling the massive muscles before finally taking Odysseus into his mouth. Odysseus moaned as he ran his fingers into Luciano’s curls. Odysseus made sure not to push Luciano as he continued to moan from the pleasure of being inside Luciano’s mouth. Luciano squeezed onto Odysseus’s thick thighs, trying not to gag as he adjusted to the size.

Odysseus pulled Luciano away from his dick. He brought them together for another kiss with Luciano lying beside him again. Soon, their hands moved as they squeezed and stroked each other. They moaned in each other’s mouths with their chests pressed together while their bodies tensed as they neared climax. 

Luciano gasped first as he started to shoot against Odysseus’s abs. Odysseus would follow soon after as he oozes onto Luciano’s hand. They moaned and breathed deeply to regain their composure. 

Odysseus kissed Luciano’s head. “Feel better?”

Luciano nodded. “A little.” He leaned his head to kiss Odysseus. “Maybe this throuple thing could work.”

“First, we save William,” said Odysseus as he smiled. 

“Right.” Luciano rested his head on Odysseus’s chest. “Save William,” he whispered as he started to drift to sleep.

*~*

That morning, they regrouped at the school’s courtyard. They got their breakfast to regain some of their energy while they waited on Doron to return from the computer lab. They stayed mostly silent as they did some people watching. Luciano leaned a little closer to Odysseus, which didn’t go unnoticed as the others wanted to question what happened last night.

Doron returned and crushed an empty can of energy drink. “Good morning!” Doron locked arms with Thomas. He squeezed Thomas’s biceps for the fun of it. “I reviewed the drive for more information and to compare the data with the Protea database here. I didn’t find any references to Primes, but I figured we’d find something at the Academy. Too bad we burned that bridge with Layla.”

Brendan sighed. “That is a problem. Unless anyone knows of anyone housing older records, then the Academy is our best bet.” 

Odysseus closed his eyes. He could picture one world that might have information that they could use. “The gods might have some answers.”

“Gods?” asked Thomas as he slipped free from Doron.

“The Olympians,” said Odysseus. “The Gods of Olympus are ancient. Possibly old enough to have existed during the Age of Fairy Tales.”

Troilus nodded. “There’s also King Triton of Atlantica. He knew a great deal about the Keyblade and the history of Wielders. It’s possible that he knows something too.”

“So, we’re going to Olympus and Atlantica next,” said Luciano. “A road trip sounds like fun.”

“Big fun! Count me in.”

They spun around with light flashing to their hands as they summoned their Keyblades.

Ahriman stepped from behind a pillar with a wide grin across his face. He skipped his fingers across the bricks as he walked closer. “Nice job getting away from me. It took a bit of effort to track you down, but here we all are! What a lovely reunion.”

Odysseus pointed End of Pain at Ahriman once more. “Let’s skip the pleasantries and go straight to the fighting!”

“So aggressive.” Ahriman wiggled his fingers. “But I don’t mind ditching the foreplay.” Ahriman flicked his wrist with a Flare spell taking form. He shot the Flare across the courtyard to set a nearby building on fire.

Screams echoed as people started to flee. 

They didn’t hesitate to jump after Ahriman. He slipped between them and went towards a fountain.

Brendan swung Wheel of Fate to manipulate the fountain. Water exploded behind Ahriman with the water forming tentacle-like appendages to ensnare Ahriman. However, the water turned to steam when it touched Ahriman as he raised his body temperature high enough.

Steam flooded the courtyard with Ahriman’s laughter echoing. They charged into the steam while Thomas and Doron blasted Aero spells to disperse the steam.

Troilus swung Abyssal Tide when he spotted a Black Coat only to miss. Ahriman slipped behind Troilus and elbowed him in the spine. As Troilus fell, Doron took his swing. Ahriman caught Missing Ache before pulling Doron in close. Ahriman slammed Doron to the ground.

Brendan and Thomas unleashed a chain of Thunder spells, but Ahriman was ready for such an attack. Ahriman tossed a piece of metal into the sky. The thunder bombarded the metal instead, with Ahriman catching the electrified metal to toss at them. An electrical surge erupted that shocked them. 

Odysseus sprang and Ahriman caught the Keyblade between his hands. 

“Hello, lover,” said Ahriman as he turned his gaze to the nearby Luciano. “Hello, other lover.”

“We know what you are, Ahriman,” said Luciano. “Or should I say Luxu?”

Ahriman smiled. “So, you figured it out? Well, party!”

Odysseus pulled End of Pain away from Ahriman’s grip. They backed away, while the others started to recover from Ahriman’s previous attacks. “What’s that supposed to mean? Luxu’s journal referred to karmic consequences for reincarnation.”

Ahriman tapped his nose. “You only scratched the surface. I am far more complicated.” He spread his arms. “I am sin. I am the weight of Luxu’s lust given form. His every desire taken to its most extreme form. The consequences of the lives he destroyed.” He extended a hand out to Luciano. “Which is why you must come with me, pretty light. I see that Ventus is with you, but it is the Master’s heart that draws us together.”

Luciano shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere with you, Ahriman. I’m going to stop you and save William!”

“There is nothing to save!” Ahriman stomped his foot to the ground. A shockwave of dark energy erupted from his body that pushed everyone except for Luciano away. With Luciano exposed, Ahriman launched after him. “You are coming with me, Luciano! I won’t let anyone else keep you!”

“No!” Luciano swung Divewing. “I don’t belong to you, Ahriman! I belong to no one!” Light swallowed Divewing while cracks began to form that went unnoticed. “Now, let William go!”

Divewing shattered into pieces. However, instead of becoming unarmed, something appeared to replace it.

A dark green and gold Keyblade manifested in its place. The blade formed a heart with stain-glass-like teeth and a crown on top. At the hilt, one side bore a demonic-like wing while the other had an angelic-like wing with the silhouette of a lion and its main located at the center. From the keychain, a heart-like symbol dangled from the end as Luciano took this new Keyblade in hand. 

Luciano swung the Combined Keyblade to strike Ahriman. 

Ahriman screamed as the two human-like shapes appeared. They separated with the human shapes solidifying.

A sharp gasp greeted them with one of the shapes taking William’s form. William blinked his golden eyes. “Luciano?”

“William!” Luciano dropped the Combined Keyblade and held William to his feet. 

“I’m free?” William chuckled. “How did this happen?”

“I’ll explain later.” Luciano looked to the other shape. “I don’t think we’re done with him yet.

The other shape stood with them seeing Ahriman’s face while his Black Coat swayed. His face became more horrific as black blood poured from his eyes.

Luciano reached for the Combined Keyblade, while William tried to stand in front of him.

Ahriman laughed as he glared at them. “You divided us? What a foolish choice.” He swung his hand with fiery sparks igniting. A large, red and black Keyblade manifested itself. A red chain was etched to the black blade with a blue eye near the teeth. “Hello, Chaos Ripper. Let us start a little chaos!”

Violet energy gathered around Chaos Ripper as he prepared to take a swing. “Now that I’m free of your weak heart, there is nothing to hold me back! Farewell, William! I can’t wait to be rid of you, coward. I’ll even do the kindness of letting the pretty light die with you!”

Luciano gasped as Ahriman came directly at him.

“No!” Dark energy flared around William’s hand. However, instead of Lost Memory appearing, another Keyblade took shape. This Keyblade surprised everyone as it was one that they thought lost forever.

The Gazing Eye manifested. The all-black Keyblade with a horned goat head near the hilt and a blue-eye near the curled teeth.

Ahriman nearly lost his grip on Chaos Ripper when he saw Gazing Eye in William’s hand. He stuttered for a moment, his eyes wide from disbelief. “Not that.” Ahriman took a step back.

William pointed the Gazing Eye at Ahriman. “Begone!” The blue eye flashed with a vortex of dark energy forming behind Ahriman. The vortex latched onto Ahriman, dragging him inside even as he tried to break free from the gravitational pull. 

The vortex absorbed Ahriman, sealing itself closed once he was gone. 

William dropped to his knees. Exhaustion soon claimed him as he looked to Luciano and the others. He looked to the Gazing Eye then at everyone else. “I guess I have some explaining to do.”


	10. Mark of Desperation

The fire at the Hamada School got put out when Thomas and Brendan stepped in to help. However, they couldn’t stay there any longer. While William successfully banished Ahriman, they didn’t know for how long. And they didn’t want to risk putting the school in any further danger, so they fled to a condemned warehouse on the east side of San Fransokyo.

Luckily, the thick chains of the build made it impossible for even the homeless to occupy this space. They could use it as a temporary base for them to regroup and figured out a better place to hideout.

First, they needed to deal with a bigger issue.

William sat on an empty crate with his back leaning against a support beam. He welcomed the small comfort as he still recovered from the split between him and Ahriman. And in his hand, the Gazing Eye dangled loosely. The Keyblade that everyone had their eyes glued onto since they didn’t know what to make of such a powerful Keyblade falling into the hands of someone like him.

Doron leaned slightly to Brendan. “Does it look like it’s staring at you?” he asked, referring to the bright blue eye. Brendan gulped as he agreed. 

Luciano dropped to the dusty ground. He tried ignoring the chemical smell in the air and instead kept his focus onto William. “So, can you explain what the hell is going on, or is that beyond you?”

William smirked. “I think I can.” He dismissed Gazing Eye. He didn’t like keeping holding onto it. “If it helps, I don’t know how I acquired Gazing Eye. It was the Keyblade that I first summoned, but I decided to use Lost Memory instead once I learned of its origins. It didn’t seem safe for someone like me to run around with it.”

Odysseus shrugged. “A wise choice. Now, what of Ahriman?”

“That’s trickier.” William sighed. “I always had a Darkness inside me. For as long as I could remember. It’s why most people don’t like me. But I don’t think Ahriman ever manifested on his own until recently.”

“That’s true.” Luciano closed his eyes as he recalled his time as Ahriman’s prisoner. “Ahriman told me that you being around me is what triggered his awakening. Him being here is my fault.”

William shook his head. “No, you did nothing wrong. Ahriman was already part of me. Anything he’s done is on me.”

Brendan crossed his arms as he found himself annoyed with discussions of guilt. “What else can you tell us of Ahriman?”

“Nothing. Whenever Ahriman took over, it was like I blacked out.”

“Great.” Thomas scratched his head as he turned to Doron. “That still doesn’t give us much to work with or explain the Gazing Eye. Or how Luxu ties to William.”

William’s eyes widened. “Luxu?” He looked to his reflection from a broken mirror across from him. While he still saw his face, he couldn’t help but feel something lurking beneath the surface. “Luxu is part of me?”

“According to Luciano.” Troilus tossed Luciano under the bus with William as he revealed the visions that Luciano had at Port Royal.

Luciano crawled to his feet. “When I looked at you, I saw Luxu.” He brushed the dirt and dust from his legs. “Then, we reviewed Luxu’s journal entries, and he confirmed that the Master of Masters planned to use Luxu as a sacrifice to trigger his sibling’s reincarnation. Ahriman confirmed that a link exists.”

William nodded. “So that explains the dreams I’ve had since I was a kid. It wasn’t my imagination but memories. And if I’m tied to Luxu, then that must explain why I have the Gazing Eye since he wielded it.”

“This is getting complicated!” Doron ran his hands through his hair as he started to walk circles, attempting to piece everything together. “William is tied to Luxu and is the reincarnation of the Master’s sibling. And now we got Luciano who is tied to Ventus and is the Master’s reincarnation. And that still doesn’t explain how Luciano got that cool Keyblade or how he separated William and Ahriman. Can he do that because he’s the Master’s reincarnation, or is there something else going on too? What else is there?”

Luciano closed his eyes and hesitated for a second. However, things would only get worse and leave them more vulnerable if he didn’t speak up now about what he did know. “There is something else. William isn’t the only one that I saw that looked different.” Luciano turned to face everyone else. “When I saw you all fighting Virgil, something else happened. For a second, your faces became covered in masks.”

“Masks?” asked Odysseus. “What kind of masks?”

“Of the Foretellers,” said Luciano. “I...I think that you’re the reincarnations of the Master’s siblings, given life by the sacrifices of the Foretellers.”

Silence filled the warehouse as the news struck them hard, leaving them unable to think.

*~*

The Keyblade Armor deactivated once Layla set foot back at the Land of Departure. The warm breezed provided soothing comfort even as she fell to her knees. She felt exhaustion overwhelm her body even with her thoughts full of nothing but rage. After returning from The World That Never Was, she needed to reconsider so much.

Virgil and Juan betrayed her. The men that she trusted as her companions proved themselves as villains. Villains that she would see vanquished. 

Layla pushed herself upright. Her eyes gazed upon the courtyard to find her injured Wielders that barely survived Ahriman’s attack. She needed to assess the damage further if she was going to have any chance of having revenge. 

“The traitors,” whispered Layla. “I will kill them all.”

Layla made her way back to the castle. Her insides burned with fury as she planned to unleash war.

*~*

In the ruins of Maleficient’s abandoned castle at the Enchanted Dominion, Virgil gathered what little survived of the Harlequins. He sat on Maleficent’s dark throne while cradling his injured arm. It wasn’t broken or bleeding any longer, but the damage proved brutal enough that it made swinging his arm a struggle. 

The cold chill swept across the castle. 

Virgil gazed upon the Harlequins and saw most were lifeless husks: Replicas. The Replicas proved effective enough warriors for the battles at Port Royal and The World That Never Was. However, Virgil needed more than drones. He required the humanity of Somebodies.

Virgil slowly pushed himself from the throne. “My comrades. We suffered major losses. Odysseus turned against us, and William is good as lost. However, we shall recover. We shall defeat our enemies. And we will conquer these worlds!”

“Aye!” shouted the Harlequins.

“Aye! Aye!”

Footsteps echoed from a corridor with the Harlequins drawing their Keyblades. Sparks of dark energy spread out as the sound of a blade dragging across the floor left everyone nervous.

Virgil summoned Fenrir as a fireball struck him. Virgil fell to the stone floor while a familiar laugh greeted them.

Ahriman returned; however, his looks changed since separated from William. More scars covered his face with his left eye missing entirely. A jagged cut traveled from his bottom lip to his chin. His remaining eye wide from fury. “Hello, Harlequins!” Ahriman swung Chaos Ripper before pointing it to the Harlequins. “I’m so glad to see you here. It makes things so much easier.”

“What?” said a few Harlequins.

Virgil struggled back to his feet. “You! Don’t think you can stop me, abomination!”

Ahriman smiled. “I already did.” Ahriman tossed Chaos Ripper to stab Virgil through his heart. Virgil spat blood as he dropped to the ground, and Chaos Ripper rematerialized to Ahriman’s hand.

Ahriman lifted his free hand. Darkness emerged and began to spread to the Replicas while burning the people alive. The people fell dead, and the Replicas remained perfectly still as their eyes turned pitch black. A symbol appeared on their foreheads. The symbol resembled that of a heart but with pointed ends on top and bottom as the Replicas became remade into Unversed.

“Good,” said Ahriman. “Step one is complete. All I need are a few more soldiers and to kill a few more Wielders before going after William and his meddlesome friends.” Ahriman cracked a smile, stretching his skin tighter as black blood poured from his chapped lips.

*~*

Juan sat at the bottom of a staircase in the underground waterway. Like the other Proteas, he retreated to the Dwarf Woodlands after beating Layla and Virgil back. He bounced to several different worlds before turning to base, so to throw off the trail of anyone attempting to track him. In taking such precautions, he could barely move as every limb of his body felt incredibly heavy.

“You look like hell, boss.” An orange-haired woman with green eyes approached him. Juan looked over his shoulder as he recognized another senior Protea, Drew.

Juan sighed. “I feel like it too.” He groaned when he placed a hand on his injured ribs. “What’s the body count now?”

Drew sat beside him. “Not as bad as expected. We only lost sixteen comrades.” She folded her hands on her lap as she listened to the gentle crash of the waterway that ran beneath the castle. “That fight proved how unready we are for war. If we have to face the Order and Harlequins together a second time, then we’re screwed.”

“I know.” Juan closed his eyes. He surrendered himself to his thoughts as he had much to consider when addressing the safety and survival of the Proteas. “Retreat is our only option, even if it isn’t the best one. But we can’t afford to leave the Order and Harlequins unchecked.”

“What about your kid and his friends?” asked Drew. “Could we count on them?”

Juan clenched his fists. “I don’t want to put Luciano in more danger.” He looked to Drew. “I want to make that clear now.”

Drew nodded. “Understood. So...what do you want us to do then?”

Juan summoned Sleeping Lion and used it to help himself get back on his feet. “Send word to our operatives on the field. Let them know that they need to make preparations to return to the nearest base.” Juan shook his head. “For now, we need to stay hidden. Until we can figure out how best to deal with our enemies.”

*~*

Finding the warehouse an insufficient base, Doron managed to reconnect with his companions from the Hamada School. He got them access to a three-bedroom house on the east side where they could also run some exams to analyze their injuries. It took every bit of Doron’s charming skills to snag them such a place and instead spare them from the mercies of the streets.

The house appeared rather ordinary at first glance. It seemed like a typical two-story townhouse with a red door, nothing too special. However, when they stepped inside, they found most of the homey features replaced with research equipment. Only a small kitchen and the three bedrooms remained behind. 

The equipment beeped loudly when Doron and Thomas activated everything. Thomas quickly got used to the programming and started to sit everyone down so that they could get a scan. Doron, Brendan, Troilus, Odysseus, and Thomas appeared fine as their vitals didn’t have anything worth raising concerns over. However, they expected something going on with William and Luciano, given what happened in the last few days.

William’s results came in, and Thomas began to review everything, while Doron started to scan Luciano. Thomas sat on a stool as everyone had their eyes on him.

“Everything is mostly normal,” said Thomas. “Your vitals are a bit lower than average, but nothing too concerning. Even after Ahriman got ripped from your body. I think all you need is a good meal and some rest; then you’ll be back to normal.”

William huffed. “I would hardly say I’m normal, but thanks for the clean bill of health, doc.”

Thomas smirked as he tossed the papers with the others. He went over to Doron to find Luciano lying flat on his back while a green light scanned his body to run a full check. “How you feeling, Lucio?”

“Fine,” said Luciano, “but the light is giving me a headache.”

“Yeah, this fucker isn’t very pleasant,” said Doron as he finished the scan. He gave the computer the time that it needed to analyze Luciano’s health.

Luciano slipped out of the table with Odysseus and William taking his hands. The machine buzzed with them getting his results now. “What’s the status?” 

Thomas squinted his eyes. He handed the report over to Doron, who looked equally confused for a moment. “Um...you’re fine,” said Thomas, “except for your heart.”

“His heart?” asked Odysseus.

Brendan and Troilus came closer to them, too, as they wanted to review the report.

Thomas handed the report over to Luciano so that he could read it. “The machine detected something in your heart. Actually, seven somethings,” said Thomas.

“Seven?” Brendan leaned over Luciano’s shoulder to see the report. “Anomalies. They’re not harmful to his heart, but they’re unnatural.”

“Is it cancerous?” asked Troilus.

Doron shook his head. “It has nothing to do with cancer or any form of declining health. It’s different. I don’t know what to make of it.”

Luciano frowned. “What could this possibly mean? Is it because of what the Master did to Ventus?”

“Not directly.”

They jumped and spun towards the front door to find a Black Coat standing at the doorway. They immediately summoned their Keyblades with the sparks blinding the room for a moment as they feared that Ahriman found them once more.

However, the Black Coat pulled his hood down to reveal that he wasn’t Ahriman. 

William smiled as he dismissed Gazing Eye from his hand. “You always did love to make a dramatic entrance. Master.”

A calm smile greeted them in return. The man greeted them with bright, green eyes that bore a hint of blue. His silvery-blond hair fell beneath his shoulders and covered the slight points along the tips of his ears. A minor scar ran across his throat, which surprised everyone that he could even speak.

“You’re a difficult one to track, apprentice,” said the Black Coat. William laughed.

Odysseus squinted his eyes. “That voice. We met before. At Port Royal.” He took a step closer, dismissing End of Pain. “You wield Master Riku’s old Keyblade. You even look a little like him too.”

The Black Coat nodded. “You have a good memory, Odysseus.”

William stepped forward to present the Black Coat as there wasn’t much of a need to keep secrets. “Everyone, this is my master, Kurai. He’s the one who found me in Neverland and trained me to wield a Keyblade.”

Kurai waved. “A pleasure.” He got closer as they dismissed their Keyblades as William’s words were enough to calm the tensions. He carefully took Luciano’s report to examine the data for himself. “It is as I thought. You have a deep connection to the ancient past.”

Luciano blinked as he didn’t know what to make of Kurai’s words.

However, Doron stepped in and poked Kurai’s arm. He gasped a little as he felt the thick muscles underneath the coat. “Whoa. That’s hot.” Doron coughed. “Ah, Master Kurai. You kinda avoided Odysseus’s question, and it’s pretty noticeable now. Are you Master Riku’s grandson or something?”

Kurai shook his head as he returned Luciano’s report. “I’m a bit more complicated than that. I’m a Replica tied to Riku’s heart and memories of Xehanort.” Kurai noticed everyone in the room go silent, even William. He never told William the truth of his origins, but the present proved too dangerous for them to go onward without knowledge. “Riku was aware that the Master of Masters likely succeeded and that chaos would continue into the future, so he created me in an effort to make sure things didn’t go completely to hell. I mostly stuck to the shadows and dug deeper into the past until I found William. That’s when I became aware that the reincarnation process was completed.” 

“I kept my eyes on all of you, once I found you,” continued Kurai. “Once you all made it to the Academy, I returned to the shadows. I sought out information to uncover the truth of the ancient past.”

Troilus huffed. “So, you have all the answers for us?”

Kurai shook his head. “Not all of them.” He pointed to the report in Luciano’s hands. “However, I do know what is inside your heart. Those readings resemble old data from the x-Blade.”

“The x-Blade?” they shouted.

“Yes. However, it is only a fraction of it. The seven fragments are the seven shards of Light from the x-Blade.” Kurai took a deep breath. “Luciano, what exists inside your heart is something, not even the Master likely anticipated would happen. I have a feeling that Ventus’s heart drew these shards to the surface, given that he once used the x-Blade with Vanitas.”

Luciano stammered for a second. His history lessons replayed themselves. “But how do I have the shards? Aren’t they with the Princesses of Heart?”

“Not any longer,” said Kurai. “After Xehanort re-created the x-Blade, it called the fragments of Light and Darkness to him. But after surrendering the x-Blade and accepting death, the fragments scattered once more but didn’t return to any host. Well, at least until now.” Kurai poked Luciano’s chest, aiming for his heart. “The shards of Light sought you out. That reason is unknown, but I fear it is also what drew Ahriman to the surface and allowed you the power to separate him from William.”

Luciano backed away. He stammered as he tried to build a response to what Kurai told him. However, he could form no words.

Thomas closed his eyes as he thought of Luxu’s journal entries. “What do you know of the Prime Light and Prime Darkness?”

Kurai raised his eyebrows. “Very little. Only that the Master and his siblings fought them before the Age of Fairy Tales began.” He smirked as he could see the reasoning for Thomas’s question. “It is possibly connected. The Master sought to revive his family. But every action has unintended consequences. The Primes could be at work once more.”

Before Kurai could utter another word, the growl of William’s stomach alerted everyone to the time. They laughed as they decided to shelf the discussion for another time and instead decided to find something to eat.

*~*

Food helped, but it didn’t fix everything.

Luciano sat at the edge of the bed while an exhausted William slept above the covers. Odysseus sat on the floor with his back pressed against the wall. Their bedroom remained mostly silent except for their breathing. 

After dinner, they decided to turn in early. They knew Ahriman would likely return sometime soon, so they needed rest before they could get into another fight. Plus, they wanted to make certain that Luciano separating William wouldn’t have any immediate side effects, so they would wait until the morning to make their next move.

William buried his face into the pillow and gave a deep sigh. “Would it kill you two to say something? The silence is disgusting.”

“Disgusting?” said Odysseus. “That’s a little harsh. Is that a little bit Ahriman talking?”

“Ha. Ha.” William pulled his face from the pillow. He started rolling to the edge of the bed and rested his chin on Luciano’s shoulder. “I’m all me. You know I hate the quiet. If things are quiet, then it better be because we’re fucking.” He tried to kiss Luciano’s neck only for Luciano to push him away.

Luciano got out of bed. “I’m not in the mood for this.” He crossed his arms then stared at William and Odysseus. “We have no idea what’s going on with our hearts. We have your crazed alternate personality running free. We have another Keyblade War threatening to consume the universe. And now we’re having to figure out if we’re fighting gods too!”

Odysseus shrugged. “It is a lot.”

“You think!” shouted Luciano.

William flinched as he crawled from the bed. A mixture of overeating and pain from the separation left him stumbling, but he pieced himself together. “It’ll all work out, Luciano. Just give it a chance,” he said while taking hold of Luciano’s hands. "We can figure everything out and make our next move.”

Odysseus nodded while pushing himself to his feet. “Right. Like we discussed earlier. We can go to Olympus and Atlantica to find out more information. We don’t have to let our fears get the best of us.”

“But what if?”

William kissed Luciano to keep him from speaking another word. “It’ll work out. Have a little faith,” he whispered to Luciano. He kissed Luciano again before falling onto the bed with Odysseus coming to sit next to him. “You should pull it together. You have the seven shards and the Master’s heart. If anyone could solve these problems, it’ll be you.” He flicked his wrist, causing the Gazing Eye to manifest. “Maybe you should try using this? It allowed the Master to see the future; maybe it’ll do the same for you.”

Luciano shook his head as he pushed the Gazing Eye away, prompting William to dismiss it. “No.” Luciano sighed and dropped himself onto the bed. He took a deep breath. “Maybe you’re right though. I have a little faith.”

Odysseus reached out to hold Luciano’s hand. “A little goes a long way.” Luciano started to smile while Odysseus pulled himself closer to kiss Luciano too. Odysseus squeezed Luciano’s hand before pulling away to lay flat on his back in the middle of the bed. “So, you never did tell us which of the Foretellers that I’m connected to. Or is that answer unclear?”

Luciano fell to the bed and rolled to lay against Odysseus’s bulky chest. “Ira. The one with the unicorn mask.”

“Ira.” Odysseus wrapped his arm around Luciano’s shoulder. “The apprentice that the Master made leader of the Foretellers. He also didn’t accept anyone’s nonsense.” A smirk grew on his face as he thought more of what little they knew of Ira’s history. “I can see the connection. It makes me wonder how close his relationship was to the Master and Luxu.” He winked at William. “Was it as intimate as ours?”

William laughed. “I can’t recall too much of Luxu’s memories, but he did like to torment Ira.” He started to crawl on the bed and laid on the opposite side of Odysseus, reaching out to hold Luciano’s hand. He rubbed his face against Odysseus’s chest. “And now the Spartan finally learns to appreciate cuddling.”

Odysseus huffed. “I like cuddling, but we never had the time for it. We could only be intimate for a few moments before having to part ways again.”

“True.” William closed his eyes as he started to let himself drift off to sleep. “Now, we don’t have to hide. We can be as intimate as we want.” He squeezed onto Luciano’s hand. “Care to join us?”

Luciano resisted the urge to smirk as he instead surrendered to the peacefulness of the moment, even as countless questions plagued his mind. “I’ll consider it.”

“He’ll do it,” said Odysseus. “He likes us too much to let us go.”

Luciano rolled his eyes and pulled himself closer to Odysseus. “I said that I’d consider it.” Odysseus and William smiled as they felt that they got their real answer.

*~*

In the morning, they ate their way through a breakfast buffet as a country-style restaurant down the street from the house. Even Kurai joined them since he didn’t want to reject a good plate of food. Their bodies felt revitalized and better equipped to handle the ordeals of the day. 

Luciano ripped a biscuit in half before dipping it into some gravy. The morning sun would beat against his neck with his back facing the window. He stared out to nothing as he thought of the revelations of his ties to the Master of Masters, Ventus, and now the shards of Light. Even the comfort that William and Odysseus provided him with last night wasn’t enough to make him squelch the fears lurking beneath the surface of his heart. 

William bumped elbows with Luciano as he attempted to pull Luciano from those thoughts. “It’ll all work out. Remember? Like we discussed.”

“Right,” whispered Luciano.

Kurai cut his waffles and chicken tender before dipping them into syrup. “This is quite delicious.”

“Bad for the heart.” Doron took a bite of his waffle. “But so good for the soul!”

A sharp beeping jolted everyone away from their food and thoughts. They turned to Doron as he grabbed a Gummi phone from his pocket. 

Doron ignored them yelling at him so that he could read the alerts. “Holy shit!”

“What now?” asked Brendan.

Doron dropped the phone on the table and wiped his mouth clean of the maple syrup. “My friends from the school, I asked if they could keep an eye out for any unusual activity. They’re picking up a major SOS alert coming from the Dwarf Woodlands.”

“The woodlands?” said Troilus. “Does that mean Ahriman?”

Thomas gasped and slammed his hands onto the table. “The woodlands house a major Protea base.” He turned to Luciano. “Juan and the other leaders are there.”

Luciano nodded as he tossed Munny onto the table. The Munny easily covered their bill and a sweet tip for the server. “Let’s move it!”

Odysseus adjusted the wristband that contained his Keyblade Armor. “Finally, something exciting.”

*~*

The portal ripped the space open with their Keyblade Armor deactivating once they set foot on the Dwarf Woodland. Kurai also pulled his hood down since he no longer needed the full protection of his Black Coat. They turned to their surroundings and gasped at the horror show that they saw before them.

The castle was laid under siege as dozens of Black Coats assaulted the Proteas. The vine-covered brick walls shattered from the rippling energies of magic. Proteas and Black Coats collided, but that wasn’t the only problem that they witnessed. The Black Coats wielded black and white versions of the Chaos Ripper that Ahriman used for combat. 

A Protea managed to knock the hood of a Black Coat to unmask one. They saw Ahriman’s face but also noticed the Unversed’s insignia on his forehead.

“What the fuck!” said Odysseus.

Luciano trembled at the sight. “It’s an army of Ahriman.”

The Unversed Ahriman stabbed the Protea for unmasking him. Darkness poured from the Chaos Ripper and traveled to the Protea. The Darkness forced itself into the Protea’s heart, causing a horrifying transformation to occur. The Unversed symbol appeared on the Protea’s forehead, and their Keyblade turned into the Chaos Ripper too before their entire appearance resembled that of Ahriman.

Thomas covered his mouth. “Ahriman is turning people into Unversed!”

Brendan turned his gaze across the wartorn castle. He found many Proteas dead on the ground while others suffered a similar fate as that Protea. “Not all of them,” he said calmly. “It appears that whatever Ahriman is doing doesn’t work on everyone he comes across.”

“We’re so fucked,” whispered Doron.

“Not good.” Troilus turned to William. “How do we stop your evil twin?”

William flicked his wrist to summon Gazing Eye. “Take no chances. Kill anyone you see with Ahriman’s face!”

Kurai smirked as he summoned Way to the Dawn. “A wise choice. Hold nothing back!”

They called their Keyblades and charged into battle. The Unversed Ahriman turned their attention onto the newcomers, granting the Proteas a chance to regroup.

The Unversed Ahriman showed no mercy. They attacked like a swarm of locust, seeking to destroy everything in sight.

Brendan slammed Wheel of Fate to the ground. He unleashed the aquatic tentacles to swat every Unversed Ahriman away, while Doron swung Missing Ache. Doron’s delicate movements created a massive whirlwind that pushed the others. Their attacks managed to slow the Unversed Ahriman, but many more still got close to them.

Troilus stabbed one with Abyssal Tide then tossed him across the castle like a broken toy. Troilus looked over his shoulder as another one came close. Luckily, Thomas provided mystical support. Spellbinder glowed as Thomas called for a single thunderbolt that electrocuted the Unversed Ahriman to death.

Kurai barely moved an inch as he swayed from every attack that came after him. He twirled to the side slightly, prompting a pair of Unversed Ahriman to stab each other instead. He flicked his wrist, unleashing a Dark Firaga that burned the pair to ash. 

Odysseus charged away from the group to throw himself into the pit of Unversed Ahriman. He stabbed everyone with End of Pain when he felt a breeze blow behind him. He glanced to find William joining him. William rolled over Odysseus’s back to slash the throat of an Unversed Ahriman. The eye of Gazing Eye glowed brighter for a second when William tossed it for a Strike Raid to rip more of the Unversed to pieces. Odysseus and William winked at each other before jumping back into the fight.

Luciano took a deep breath. He adjusted quickly to the added weight of the Combined Keyblade before springing into the fray. He slashed a pair of Unversed Ahriman in half with a single swing. The power behind this Keyblade proved far greater than he ever expected, but knew he couldn’t count on it to save the day. He needed to maintain focus.

They continued their fight, pushing the Unversed Ahriman into the defensive even as more Proteas fell to death or possession.

Meanwhile, Luciano finally caught a glimpse of Juan from the crowd.

Juan stepped away from the castle’s front entrance with Drew at his side. Juan stumbled as blood poured from a cut on his forehead, but he maintained his strength as he bashed an Unversed Ahriman with Sleeping Lion. Drew swung Gull Wing at an Unversed Ahriman only to miss. The opening allowed the Unversed Ahriman to strike, stabbing her in the chest to infect her with its Darkness. Soon, her body transformed as she became another of Ahriman’s slaves.

“Dad!” Luciano blasted the Unversed Ahriman with a Pearl spell. The orb of light blasted them away from Juan, and also cleared them a path for a reunion. Luciano hugged Juan as they came together while the Unversed Ahriman swarmed them. “What is happening? Where did all these Ahriman come from?”

“I don’t know.” Juan groaned as he dropped to his knee. “We were making plans to abandon this base and regroup to another facility when Ahriman attacked us. He started killing everyone that he couldn’t turn into these...these clones.”

Kurai shook his head. “Clones is too nice of a word for what Ahriman did. He is single-handedly bringing the Unversed back to life.”

Applause echoed across the castle as the Unversed Ahriman dropped to their knees. The surviving Proteas and them watched in horror as they saw the real Ahriman standing on a nearby tower.

Ahriman took a bow for himself before diving to the blood-stained floor of the castle. The real Chaos Ripper appeared in his hand that he pointed to William. “Hello, worthless one. It is so nice to see you again.” He cracked a smile, causing black blood to pour from his lips.

Doron cringed. “He looks horrid.”

Brendan nodded. “My guess is that splitting him apart from William made his body unstable.”

William ignored them as he stepped away from the others and raised Gazing Eye. “Leave the people alone, Ahriman! This is between us!”

“You’re right.” Ahriman licked his bloody lips. “However, because it is between us, that means I have to involve them too.” He laughed. He snapped his fingers with the Unversed Ahriman raising their copies of Chaos Ripper. “I’m not going to destroy just you, Willy. I’m going to destroy everything you know and love!”

Ahriman dragged Chaos Ripper across the ground. A thin cut forming against the stone as it easily broke the brick. “That is the cost of lust! It destroys everything!”

“No!” William made his move only for Odysseus to move ahead of him.

Odysseus jumped across the courtyard to make his move on Ahriman. He swung End of Pain with it connecting against Chaos Ripper. 

Ahriman cracked a smile. “The beefcake,” said Ahriman. “It looks like those muscles took up too much space for the brain!” Ahriman dragged Chaos Ripper across End of Pain. He broke Odysseus’s concentration, which allowed him to grab Odysseus and slammed him to the ground. Odysseus gasped as bones almost cracked. “Not so tough now, big guy.” 

Ahriman dragged Odysseus across the ground before tossing him towards William.

William grabbed onto the injured Odysseus. He flinched when Odysseus cried in pain from the sudden contact. “Odysseus,” William cried. “I’m sorry.”

“Really?” shouted Ahriman. “You’re sorry? Sorry that you can’t protect what you love? You really are pathetic!”

William closed his eyes and held back tears. “Shut up, clown!” He got on his feet and flicked his wrist, summoning Gazing Eye back to his hand. You ruin everything!”

“Good!” Ahriman laughed as he conjured a crimson fireball to his hand. “Embrace that pain. Maybe it’ll make you a worthy foe!” 

Ahriman released the fireball with it growing in volume that it would surely burn the entire castle.

However, Luciano intervened. Luciano swung the Combine Keyblade, shattering Ahriman’s attack with a single blow.

Luciano’s eyes appeared red from crying. He cried over the injured Odysseus, and he cried for William’s pain. And now, he wanted to take Ahriman down to nothing. “You need to go away. Forever!” He swung the Combined Keyblade before extending it out. A golden chain emerged from the Keyblade and ensnared itself around Ahriman with the added effect of keeping the Unversed Ahriman bound in place.

Ahriman struggled against the chains as he wasted precious energy attempting to break himself free. “What is this? When did you get so strong?”

Luciano ignored Ahriman’s questions. He looked over his shoulder to William. “It’ll work out, right?”

William smiled. “Right.” He raised the Gazing Eye and took a deep breath. Darkness flared around William’s body, and his yellow eyes glowing brighter. A massive portal opened behind Ahriman while a gravitational pull began to suck Ahriman into the portal. “To the Realm of Darkness with you, Ahriman! And may you wander there for eternity!” 

Ahriman’s eyes widened. “No! You will never be rid of me!” The gravitational pull of the portal dragged Ahriman even closer. He couldn’t break free of it until it was too late. 

Luciano severed the chain as the portal started to swallow Ahriman whole. “This is the end of you, Ahriman!”

“Never!” Ahriman raised Chaos Ripper to create his own chain. “I will not leave this place alone!” The chain rocketed from the Keyblade and latched onto the severed link of Luciano’s chain. Everyone gasped as they shouted at William to close the portal.

Ahriman pulled with all of his might and retracted the chain. Luciano screamed as Ahriman pulled him closer until the portal’s gravitational pull captured him too. 

William slammed Gazing Eye to the ground to seal the portal immediately. However, it was too late. The portal swallowed Luciano and sealed itself, dragging Luciano into the Realm of Darkness with Ahriman.

“Luciano!” shouted William.

Odysseus rolled onto his side, eyes wide as he watched the portal close too. “No, not him.”

The Unversed Ahriman began to vanish now that their master was gone. They would return soon enough, but for now, the Dwarf Woodlands was safe with Luciano paying the price for their safety.


	11. Mark of Separation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all! So I'm probably going to be posting twice a week now since I'm fully on summer break now. We'll see how that goes since I am also moving to my new place at the end of June. 
> 
> Also, a sex scene towards the end of the chapter!

William dropped to his knees and stared at the spot where the portal closed. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get Gazing Eye to reopen the portal. And because of him, Luciano would wander the Realm of Darkness for eternity with Ahriman.

“This is my fault,” whispered William. “If wasn’t so damn weak!” He slammed his fist to the ground.

As William tormented himself, the Unversed Ahriman began to vanish into the shadows. They didn’t appear lost with the absence of their creator but instead seemed to use a tactical retreat. If they retained enough of their mental capacity, then it would lead certain doom for the worlds as they could strategize and mobilize even without Ahriman’s presence.

The shadows parted with the surviving Proteas allowed to regroup too.

Thomas pointed Spellbinder at Odysseus before muttering a Curaga spell. The healing blast of magic restored much of Odysseus’s strength, but he would still need proper rest. Thomas leaned over to help Odysseus to his feet. “Don’t rush,” said Thomas. “You got beat pretty bad.”

Odysseus groaned. He could feel the tension around his ribs. “Don’t tell me what to do.” He flinched as the pain remained excruciating. “We need to save Luciano! If Ahriman doesn’t get to him first, then the Heartless will.”

“Don’t jink it!” said Doron. “Think positive thoughts.”

Brendan nodded. “Time works differently in the Realm of Darkness. There is still a chance for us to save Luciano if we can open another portal.”

“Yeah!” Troilus clenched his fist. “Come on, William! You got this!”

“I don’t!” William shook his head. He got back on his feet and summoned Gazing Eye to his hand. Darkness exploded as he squeezed onto the black handle. “The portal. It was only a portal. I didn’t lock into exact coordinates because I didn’t want to risk Ahriman accidentally breaking free.” William pointed Gazing Eye at the exact spot. He used his rage as he did before, but nothing happened. “Besides, this stupid Keyblade won’t let me open a portal again. It won’t listen to me!”

Odysseus frowned. “Then, we have to figure out another way to rescue Luciano. If the Mouse King could find his way to Master Aqua in the Realm of Darkness, then so can we!”

William flicked his wrist. A Corridor of Darkness emerged, but it didn’t lead to the Realm of Darkness as it instead would take him to another world. “Good luck finding him,” William said, choking on his tears. “You’ll have to find him without me. I’ll just fuck it up again.”

“Wait!” Odysseus tried to chase after William, but his injuries caught him instead. He flinched as he held onto his ribs. “William! Don’t leave.”

However, Odysseus’s words did no good. William stepped into the corridor and vanished.

Odysseus dropped to a knee. “Damn it! Not you too, William.”

The others tried to regroup to figure out how they would find Luciano when they heard coughing. They looked back to find Juan struggling to move while Kurai tried to help him.

Juan fought through the haze. His injuries left him unable to move much, and he struggled to process Luciano getting trapped in the Realm of Darkness. He groaned before he felt the healing magic ripple across his body.

Juan took a deep breath as he looked up to find Kurai standing over him. “You? You haven’t changed a bit.”

Kurai smirked. He sat beside Juan as he waved his hand to let the others know that Juan would be fine now. “And you changed a lot in twenty-two years.” Kurai shook his head. “You got a lot of grey in your hair and some stubble too. Not to mention, you’re a father.”

Juan huffed. “A failure of one. I couldn’t protect my son from that psycho.”

“No one could’ve anticipated Ahriman’s actions,” said Kurai. “Ahriman moves with instincts, not any rational thought. It’s how he recreated the Unversed.” 

“It doesn’t matter,” whispered Juan. “This is still my failure.” He looked at Kurai and resisted the temptation to smile. He spent much of his youth with Kurai. Until now, he hadn’t thought much of Kurai as he left the time they spent in the past. “I haven’t heard from you in so long that I thought you died. You did a poor job of keeping in touch.”

Kurai smirked. He didn’t think much of the past either, but that mostly came from the long life that he led that time didn’t mean much too him. “Sorry. That was my fault.”

“Master.” Thomas led Brendan and Troilus with him, while Doron continued to watch over a crestfallen Odysseus. Thomas knelt on the steps. “I would ask for your help to find Luciano, but the Proteas aren’t looking good, and neither are you. And we can’t exactly go to the Order for help.”

Juan shook his head. They didn’t have many options. The Proteas couldn’t afford to fight the Order and the Unversed in their current form, but they also needed to act fast to rescue Luciano. It took ten years for Mickey, Riku, and Sora to rescue Aqua from the Realm of Darkness, they couldn’t force Luciano to wait that long.

Juan groaned as he sat up. Every part of him ached from the fight while the guilt weighted on his head too. “It’ll take tremendous work to find Luciano.” He summoned Sleeping Lion and pointed it at Thomas to conjure a keycard. “That’ll open the door to a facility we have at the world of Auradon. You shouldn’t have any trouble getting in, and the tech we have stored there is comparable to San Fransokyo.”

“Ew! Auradon though!” Doron helped Odysseus walk over as they rejoined the others. “I’m making myself clear now that I refuse to sing and dance with the idiot children of that prep school.”

Troilus chuckled. “I’d imagine you’d like to sing and dance like a little fairy.”

Doron glared. 

“Enough.” Juan looked at them. “I’m counting on you to rescue Luciano in my stead. Understood?”

“We will.” Odysseus straightened himself up as he looked at the others. “Come on. We’re wasting time.”

They agreed to move out, leaving Kurai behind for now so that he could continue to tend to the injured Juan.

*~*

The scratchy sensation of sand forced Luciano awake. He blinked his eyes repeatedly but found only darkness, which left him fearing he gone blind. He yelped as he recalled the fight against Ahriman before getting dragged into the portal.

The Realm of Darkness.

Luciano got on his feet with his vision finally adjusting to his new surroundings. He found himself standing before a sandy road where boulders floated across a vast openness of nothing. A dark violet light illuminated the space, but from every corner that he turned, he found only pure darkness greeting him back.

“I’m not in Kansas anymore.” Luciano kept looking around his surroundings. He continued to notice nothing as he saw no way home, but he also noticed no trace of Ahriman. “We must’ve got separated. Or he’s hiding like a snake in the grass.” 

He turned behind him, where he noticed he stood on the edge of the sandy road. No road led to him taking only one option, and that was forward. 

He walked along the sandy road with his footsteps crunching against the sand. He watched every step to make sure he found no surprise either from Ahriman or the creatures that lurked in the shadows.

In the Realm of Darkness, Luciano knew he was more vulnerable here than anywhere else in the cosmos. The Keyblade would attract the Heartless like a person seeking an oasis in the desert. He needed to remain vigilant because any moment could end up his last. That was if Ahriman didn’t find him first.

These thoughts terrified him. And unlike before, he would face these tortures alone. He could no longer turn to William or Odysseus for protection or call on his friends for help. He was at the mercy of the Realm of Darkness.

And this space showed no mercy.

Luciano found himself on a floating crossroads when he heard clicking. The shadows stirred as Heartless began to rise. A group of Shadows rose with him thanking his luck. Even though the Shadows here would be far stronger than any he faced before, it was still better than crossing paths with something like a Darkside.

Luciano flicked his wrist as he prepared to face the Shadows. However, no sparks emerged. He gasped as he tried flicking his wrist once more to summon the Combined Keyblade. But the Keyblade didn’t manifest itself, which left him even more vulnerable than he expected.

“No!” Tears welled up as Luciano turned to the Shadows that approached him. “I can’t use the Keyblade. How am I supposed to fight these creatures?”

The Shadows didn’t waste another moment. They prepared to swarm him as they leaped to crush Luciano.

Luciano screamed as he backed away. Sparks ignited from his hands, but still, no Keyblade emerged. Instead, a barrage of fireballs erupted from him to blast the Shadows away. A few of the Shadows exploded to nothing while the others only suffered minor damage.

Luciano began to smile. He wasn’t completely defenseless after all. “I still have magic.” He clenched his fist to feel the burn of fire swelling from within him. “I still have magic!” 

The Shadows gathered once more as they prepared for another attack. Luciano flicked his wrist to manifest a fireball over his hand. He was ready to face whatever lurked in the darkness now.

*~*

The frantic search for Luciano took off immediately once they reached Auradon. They found the Protea facility inside a broken clock tower in the city, which was secluded enough that they didn’t have to worry about any residents seeking them out. And when they arrived, the facility itself was well stocked for inhabiting. They had a few beds, a bathroom, and a functioning kitchen to go with the computers to help with their research. The clock tower met all their needs, and they didn’t need to leave unless they wanted the fresh air.

Luckily, for Doron, the prep school stood on the opposite side of the city, so they didn’t have to worry about hearing any singing.

The days began and ended with them using all the tech to track Luciano’s location and uncover an alternate path into the Realm of Darkness. Since so few Keyblade Wielders braved the Realm of Darkness, they found themselves flying in blind with no real help in finding Luciano.

Doron ate another piece of licorice as he finished writing code into the computer. “I can’t figure out how to map the Realm of Darkness. All the maps are trash, especially since we know that this place likes to warp its surroundings.”

“Keep trying.” Thomas finished his code. The program started working its magic to narrow down Luciano’s possible location. “Luciano’s been there for a week now. We can’t give up.”

“I didn’t say I was giving up. I’m too pissed to throw in the towel.”

That would help them in the longer run. Doron’s ingenuity tended to kick in when he was at his most angry. 

Anger would have to work as their fuel to get their best work done.

Thomas stared at the monitor and waited for any good news. He would occasionally glance to the Gummi phone as he hoped to hear from the others, too, as they all scattered in their quest to rescue Luciano.

Odysseus left to track William down since he couldn’t provide much help in the technical work like Doron and Thomas could. Meanwhile, Brendan and Troilus worked on a stealth mission to keep the Order off the Proteas’ tail. As for Kurai, he would occasionally pop in, but the last they heard, he was busy helping the Proteas too. They did all this work as they prayed for the best. All while they braced themselves for any news that the Unversed Ahriman returned as those creatures went completely silent since Ahriman’s banishment.

Thomas rubbed his forehead to keep a headache from forming. “I have on idea if we’re even making a difference. It took a decade to find Master Aqua. What makes us think we can do any better?”

Doron focused on creating code as his fingers glided across the keyboard. “They didn’t have the hearts of the Foretellers and weren’t the reincarnation of the Master of Masters’ siblings.” Doron chuckled as he still couldn’t see how that made any sense. However, he was always one to roll with the punches instead of dwelling on things. “Maybe that makes us different. Special even. We can do this.”

Thomas huffed. “It’s not like we have much of a choice.” Thomas glanced over at Doron, who blew a kiss in his direction. Thomas felt his face flush a little, so he returned to focusing on the monitor so as not to let Doron see him blush.

*~*

“Leave it all behind. There’s no point in taking anything with us. Make it look like we’re returning.”

Eva made sure to speak in hushed tones with Kev, a pink-haired colleague. They got orders from Juan that all Proteas needed to leave their posts within the Order to regroup. Given their exposure during the battle at Port Royal and the World That Never Was, it shocked Eva that it took this long for the command to go out.

However, she couldn’t leave too soon. Her position within the Order put her too close to Layla’s orbit that she needed not to cause a scene.

It took a bit of work, but Eva managed to get the last of the Proteas at the Land of Departure an assignment at Radiant Garden. They would use the leave to take off to the sleepy world of Storybrooke. 

Eva went down to the Gummi Ship port with Kev, where they would find the remaining four Proteas waiting for them. They did all that they could to avoid attracting any unwanted attention as they acted as normal as possible.

Still, Eva felt a vicious hammering from her chest.

Since Layla returned, the atmosphere at the Land of Departure became noticeably more tyrannical. The most devout of the Order’s members imposed stricter penalties upon students for the slightest infractions, while the other members would speak of killing all the Proteas and Harlequins on sight. Even the students shuddered whenever in the presence of a senior member of the Order.

The few meetings she attended, Eva cowered when she saw Layla. Layla spoke harshly and appeared as though she hadn’t slept since returning to the world. 

Eva and Kev made it to the port when they smelt a coppery scent in the air. They turned to each other for a second before taking a few steps closer where they found blood-stained bodies on the floor.

Eva held back a scream as she recognized her fellow Proteas dead on the ground. Someone uncovered their identities. 

Eva manifested Three Wishes, while Kev summoned Wishing Star. As they neared the bottom of the staircase, that is when they saw their comrades’ killer.

Standing over the corpses, Layla clenched onto Divin Rose with blood covering her Keyblade and clothes. Layla tilted her head up with her bloodshot eyes glaring out to them. “Did you think that I wouldn’t find out the truth? That you could get away without me noticing traitors!”

“Master!” Eva said, calmly, as she feigned loyalty. “What are you saying?”

Layla raised Divine Rose. “Do not play innocent, Eva! I know the truth. We intercepted your transmission to Juan!”

Eva clenched her teeth. She cursed herself for her carelessness. She glanced over to Kev. “I’ll cut you a path. Get a ship ready.”

Kev gasped. “You don’t mean to fight her alone?”

“Do it.” Eva charged after Layla, while Kev followed the command.

Layla smiled. “Finally, the traitor shows her true colors!”

They crossed Keyblades with Eva almost dropping to her knees from a single blow. Layla proved far stronger than Eva anticipated, especially with such anger boiling throughout her body. However, Eva couldn’t give in so easily. Eva intended to put up her toughest fight yet.

Eva stomped on Layla’s foot. Eva would use any cheap attack that she could as she didn’t stand a chance against a Keyblade Master.

Layla groaned from the pain. She backed away to generate an energy slash. Eva narrowly avoided the blast, which crashed into another Gummi Ship. Luckily, it wasn’t the one that Kev tried operating.

Eva would need to take more defensive rather than evasive maneuvers. They couldn’t take the risk of losing their only escape route.

“Fight me like a real Wielder, traitor!” Layla launched herself into another attack. Eva blocked Layla’s attack but got pushed further back.

Eva swung Three Wishes to unleash a ring of mines that would explode if Layla got too close. And given her fanatical rage, Layla would do exactly that. Layla noticed the mine too late and tripped over one, causing an explosion that sent her flying across the port. 

Eva pulled the other mines towards her before unleashing them as bombs towards Layla’s current location. More explosions went off near the port’s entrance. The walls began to crumble with Layla’s path forward getting blocked.

“It’s ready!” Kev shouted. “Eva, let’s move!”

Eva turned. The Gummi Ship’s engine gave a low roar that told them all that she needed to know. She jumped into the ship as Layla bounced back from the last attack.

Layla fired a Flare spell in their direction that would destroy the ship. Eva ended up taking the controls, leaving Kev to act in her stead. Kev would cast a Reflect spell over the ship to redirect Layla’s spell back at her. 

The Flare spell reflected with Layla doing all that she could to manipulate the spell to attack another ship before it could hit her. That gave Eva and Kev all the time they needed to flee.

Eva blasted the hangar doors with the ship’s lasers before slamming on the gas to send the ship flying to space.

*~*

Everyone felt stretched thin as the Auradon group worked on covering everything going on in the worlds since the Order went silent, and the Proteas still had to recover from the last attack. Doron and Thomas monitored everything that could go wrong when they got new reports. They found William’s signal, but they also noticed Unversed activity at Atlantica. The decision to divide their forces came as a no brainer. 

Odysseus left to bring William back, while Troilus and Brendan left to protect Atlantica.

In hindsight, Troilus and Brendan should’ve brought more help.

Small fires burned across Prince Eric’s castle. The close architecture of the building ensured that the fires spread faster, prompting all the occupants to flee to the castle town where it was safer. Only three Unversed Ahriman attacked the castle, but they proved powerful enough to do massive damage.

The roar of the ocean outside the throne room served as Brendan’s only distraction. Brendan lost sight of Troilus moments before when Troilus dragged two Unversed out a window to fight in the ocean. Brendan found himself clueless to Troilus’s situation, which left him anxious while he continued to duel an Unversed.

The Unversed Ahriman taunted Brendan with mindless words, none of which felt personal. “You are nothing, boy! You are nothing but a mild nuisance. Like a clueless child.”

Brendan swatted Chaos Ripper before it could get closer. He spun Wheel of Fate to transform it into its staff form. “That goes to show how little you know about me!” Brendan smacked the Unversed’s hand, knocking Chaos Ripper from its grip. Brendan reacted quickly to strike the Unversed with the sharper end to stab it through the chest.

Brendan ripped his bloody Keyblade from the Unversed, causing it to fade into nothingness. He sighed while looking at the burning throne room. He blasted a few Water spells to clean the mess before jumping to the balcony.

Out in the ocean, Brendan still found no traces of Troilus or the other Unversed. However, the castle still burned. Brendan jumped from the balcony to give Troilus backup but first generated a massive Waterga spell to wash over the burning castle to eliminate what remained of the flames. 

Brendan took a breath and braced himself as he crashed into the ocean, making sure to avoid all the rocks. He activated an underwater breathing-spell that would only last for a few minutes. He swam further into the sea until he could see a different looking Troilus.

Undersea, the spell that sustained Troilus’s human form faded, and he abandoned his shirt too to expose his muscular torso. Troilus returned to his merman form, which allowed him an easier time to fight the Unversed Ahriman. Troilus’s sea-green scales glistened against the sunlight that reflected over the ocean with his true form leaving Brendan speechless. 

It only lasted for a moment as Brendan’s battle instincts took over.

The Unversed swarmed Troilus, attempting to attack him from both sides. Troilus blasted them away with Aero spells that pushed the water but did little to slow them down. 

Brendan swam faster before tossing Wheel of Fate. The Keyblade sailed across the sea to intercept one of the Unversed, knocking it in the shoulder. The Unversed took a moment to recover, which was all the time that Troilus needed to eliminate the other one.

Troilus swung Abyssal Tide to disarm the other Unversed. Then, he quickly swung it once more to rip open the Unversed’s chest. Blood spread across the immediate area as the Unversed faded to nothing.

Troilus signaled Brendan with a thumb’s up when the remained Unversed propelled itself at full speed towards Brendan. There wasn’t time to stop the attack. Brendan couldn’t summon his Keyblade to him when the Unversed slashed at Brendan, breaking his concentration over the breathing spell.

Water quickly filled Brendan’s lungs. The Unversed went in for the kill, but Troilus came to Brendan’s defense. Abyssal Tide began to crack as Troilus transformed it into a whip that he used to ensnare the Unversed’s neck. Troilus tugged at it with all his might to snap the Unversed’s neck, triggering its death. 

Troilus dismissed his Keyblade to chase after Brendan. He held onto Brendan as he quickly brought him to the surface. Even when they reached fresh air, Brendan showed no signs of breathing, so Troilus took them to the rocky shore, where he performed mouth-to-mouth.

The water splashed against Brendan’s body, while Troilus leaned over him. Troilus blew air into Brendan’s mouth twice before applying chest compressions. As Troilus’s body left the water, the spell returned to give him human legs once more. He ignored the odd sensation to focus on tending to Brendan. 

After the third round of chest compressions, Brendan finally spat out the water and took a deep breath. Troilus sighed with relief as he fell onto the sandy beach, relieved that Brendan survived.

“Thanks for the help,” Troilus said as he stared at the sun.

Brendan kept coughing. His body gradually returned to normal. He rolled onto his side and ignored how weighed down his body fell from his soaked clothes and the pain from the rocks. “My pleasure.” He looked to Troilus with a blush spreading across his face as he noticed every inch of Troilus’s naked body. “Um...thank you for saving me.”

Troilus smiled. “Anytime.” He leaned up when he noticed Brendan’s blushing then remembered his lack of clothing. He went to cover his dick and balls, not that his hand did much good in obscuring anything. “It’s weird being back. I don’t have many good memories of this place,” he said, attempting to distract Brendan from his nudity. “I lost everything here. My parents lost their life to a sea-witch while defending King Triton. I was left orphaned and had no choice but to join Undersea Knight Corp. Then, I lost my station because I manifested a Keyblade.”

Brendan focused on looking at the sea. He admired the gorgeous setting while doing all that he could not look at Troilus from his peripheral vision. “That’s horrible.”

“Indeed.” Troilus nodded. “Is the same true of you with Port Royal? You desire not to speak of your past implies a painful history.”

“Yeah.” Brendan shrugged himself free of his shirt. The weight of the water made it harder for him to breathe so he would leave it to dry on the rocks. “I wish I could say my parents were noble like yours. But they were the opposite.” Brendan took a deep breath as his past was something he never felt comfortable with sharing. Except now with Troilus, who made Brendan feel something different. “They sold me as a slave to pirates to cover their debt when I was nine.”

“Bastards.”

Brendan huffed. That was only part of the story. “The pirates made me a cabin boy. Working for them was brutal enough, but as I got a little older, they started passing me around.” Brendan swallowed his tears. The painful memories were clawing their way to the surface that he wouldn’t allow to consume him. “Freedom only came for me when I manifested the Keyblade. After years of being their slave, the first thing I did was kill them all.” 

Oddly enough, the thought brought a smile to Brendan’s face. “The Order found me not long after that, and I would end up at the Academy. My obsession with knowing everything was so that I could prepare myself for anything. So I would never be a victim again.”

Brendan fell to his back and clenched his fist to block out the sun. “I’m in control over my body. No one else.” He shook his head. “And just when I thought I got over the trauma, now, I find out my body isn’t really mine. A sacrifice of some poor soul.”

“You are you,” corrected Troilus. “Even if someone used a sacrifice to give you life. This life is yours, not theirs.”

Brendan looked at Troilus. This time, he didn’t blush, nor did he notice the nudity. Instead, he saw only Troilus and his good heart. Before Brendan realized what he did, Brendan leaned over to kiss Troilus.

Troilus didn’t mind. Instead, Troilus welcomed the kiss and returned it with heated passion. He brought a hand to cradle Brendan’s face gently. He broke the kiss for only a second. “I waited a long time to kiss you,” he whispered. “Since Radiant Garden. Seeing your warrior spirit drove me crazy.”

Brendan smiled. He desired Troilus long before the fight at Radiant Garden, not that he would speak that aloud as he instead decided to play coy. “Sorry for the wait.” They resumed the kiss with Troilus rolling them onto the rocks. Pinned onto his back, Brendan wrapped his legs around Troilus’s waist to pull them closer.

Their lips separated for a moment as they forgot where they were and instead only focused on each other. Every troubling thought disappeared. They forgot about Luciano, the Unversed, and a new Keyblade War.

Water dripped from Troilus’s body onto Brendan as they made eye contact. Troilus licked his lips and stared into Brendan’s dashing blue eyes. Brendan smiled as he lost focus as he stared deeper into the aquamarine eyes.

“Maybe we should continue this somewhere else?” whispered Troilus. 

Brendan shook his head as he started to unzip his pants, pushing them beneath his knees. “Not a chance,” he moaned. “I want you inside me, Aquaman.” 

Troilus chuckled. “Yes, sir.” He leaned over to kiss Brendan again. They moaned into each other’s mouths as tongues danced. Brendan squeezed the water from his pants to lube Troilus’s dick as best as he could, not that it would do much good. 

Troilus muttered about foreplay, but Brendan was too impatient. Brendan gently pulled on Troilus’s thick dick, pushing it to his ass. They gasped together from the tightness, but Troilus managed to thrust his way into the muscle. The impact of Troilus’s hips made Brendan’s ass bounce. Troilus dug his hands into the sand as he slowly thrusted inside of Brendan, while Brendan held onto Troilus like his life depended upon it. The friction from the lack of lube driving them both insane with pleasure.

“Really tight.” Troilus moaned against Brendan’s lips. “I won’t last long.”

Brendan nodded as a speck of Troilus’s sweat made its way into his mouth. His body shuddering from every thrust. “Cum,” cried Brendan. 

Troilus kissed Brendan while reaching climax. The throbbing of Troilus’s cock and his semen flooding Brendan’s ass brought them over the edge. Brendan wiggled his hips a little as to coax more from Troilus until the throbbing finally stopped. 

Troilus buried Brendan with his weight. They took deep breaths together as they stared into each other’s eyes. “Next time,” Troilus moaned, “we do this properly. I want to taste every inch of you. If you’ll let there be a next time.”

Brendan smiled. He wrapped his arms and legs around Troilus to pull him closer. “There will be a next time,” he moaned before kissing Troilus once more.

*~*

Odysseus followed the signal to the Enchanted Dominion. He found it odd that William would return to this world and take the risk of the Unversed Ahriman attacking him. He shook his head. He knew William could protect himself, so he tried not to worry too much as they instead needed to prioritize Luciano’s safety.

End of Pain propelled him across space with his Keyblade Armor shielding him until he finally reached landfall. 

The grassy fields and dark castle on the Forbidden Mountain in the distance reminds Odysseus of the last time he came here. It had to be about a month before he met Luciano that he came to this Harlequin base. He deactivated his Keyblade Armor but kept a firm hold on End of Pain as he didn’t know what to expect while here.

Odysseus wandered across the mountains to the ruined castle. 

More debris crumbled as the castle saw better days. He noticed plenty of blood staining the bricks and scorch marks that weren’t present the last time he came here. He clenched his jaw shut as he didn’t know what to expect.

Venturing deeper, Odysseus finally made it to Maleficent's throne room to face the throne that Virgil once occupied. Instead of finding Virgil or the Unversed Ahriman, Odysseus found a bloody William with a blood-stained Gazing Eye standing over a group of bodies.

“William!” Odysseus rushed to William’s side and dismissed End of Pain. “Are you hurt?”

William dismissed Gazing Eye as he looked over his shoulder to face Odysseus. “I’m fine. I killed the Unversed that occupied the castle. Not that it is worth saving.” He brushed some blood from his face to make himself look a little presentable. He barely had the chance to blink when Odysseus kissed him.

Odysseus held onto William’s hands. “Why are you even here? We need your help finding Luciano.”

“I can’t do any good for him.” William frowned as he pulled his hands away from Odysseus’s grip. “As for why I’m here, I wanted to confirm my suspicions. I’ve been hunting the Unversed, and they claimed that Ahriman killed Virgil.”

“Virgil’s dead!” Odysseus looked to the throne. He found only more blood and nothing else, but his senses told him something more. He could feel a connection to Virgil there. “The old bastard’s finally dead.”

William shook his head. “Maybe. But I didn’t find any traces of a body. He might’ve survived the attack and is in hiding.” 

“Which’ll make him even more dangerous the next time we encounter him.” Kurai stepped out from the shadows of a hallway. He had a bit of blood covering his Black Coat as he too helped William clear out the remaining Unversed in the castle. “No signs of Virgil down there. Or anywhere else in the castle. If he’s alive, I doubt he’s on this world.”

“Then, I keep looking. You should go back to helping Juan and the Proteas.” William turned to Odysseus, while Kurai vanished into a Corridor of Darkness. William frowned for a moment before taking hold of Odysseus’s hands, rubbing his fingers across Odysseus’s callous. “Everything we planned for the Harlequins is dust now. It’s a shame we didn’t get our chance to lead.”

Odysseus leaned his head so that he could bury his face in William’s hair. He took in William’s scent as he could feel William’s desire to pull away so that he could commit the moment to memory. “We’ll build something new when this is all over. With Luciano.”

William closed his eyes for a moment before slipping away. “I have an idea on how to find Luciano. Gazing Eye isn’t enough to do the deed, but if it still exists, then there’s a chance, so do the Keyblades of the other Foretellers. Since the Master created them by his own hand, then their powers combined could allow us to rescue Luciano.”

“That’s a brilliant idea!” said Odysseus. “Let’s leave for Auradon to tell the others.”

“No, this is your mission.” William gulped. He stared at his hand, feeling the power that slept within him. “I...I need to figure out some things. Alone. I’m no good to you until I can find peace. Until I can master my Darkness.” William tilted his head back to reach Odysseus’s lips. They shared another kiss but nothing more. “Until next we meet, Spartan.”

Odysseus frowned as he didn’t want to see William leave, but he knew that he couldn’t stop William. William was too wild for anyone to contain. 

So Odysseus had no choice but to accept William’s decision. “You know how to find me,” he whispered. 

William nodded.

*~*

The Realm of Darkness matched every awful story that Luciano heard and then some.

The Heartless proved themselves as a near-relentless threat. Any time he cleared an area, he would only go a few steps before encountering more. Luckily, he only encountered Shadows and other lesser Heartless, but he feared that the stronger ones were waiting for him to become too weak to put up a fight.

Wandering along the endless abyss of darkness, Luciano reached a chilly valley. He heard the echoes of his footsteps across the hardened ground. A frightening mist obscured everything aside from the immediate area, but he could see colossal thorns in the distance. 

Luciano gulped. “I shouldn’t have taken that left turn.”

“There he is!”

Luciano jumped. He narrowly missed Chaos Ripper striking him before finally getting a good look at Ahriman in his tattered Black Coat. 

Ahriman smiled. He no longer bled from the gesture as the Dark Realm sustained him. “I found you, pretty light. Why did you hide from me for so long?”

“Get away from me!” Luciano launched a Blizzaga spell, but Ahriman shattered it with the swing of his Keyblade.

The ice shards scattered across the ground. Ahriman licked his lips as he narrowed his eyes to get a closer look at Luciano. “You can’t summon your Keyblade here. Interesting.” Ahriman swung his Keyblade behind him. “Is it because your Light shines too bright here? Or did you misplace it? Or did someone take it from you?”

Luciano clenched his fists. He didn’t have the luxury of running. Without a Keyblade or reinforcements, he couldn’t do much to protect himself. If Ahriman didn’t catch him, then the Heartless would.

It pained him to admit that this would probably be where he’d die.

Sparks ignited around Luciano’s hands. If he would die now, he couldn’t go down without putting up a fight. He wouldn’t allow Ahriman to see his fear for a moment longer. “Go away!” He brought his hands together to launch a massive fireball.

However, Ahriman guarded himself with Chaos Ripper, snuffing out the flames without much trouble. “Give up, pretty light. And I can protect you from this nasty place.” Ahriman licked his lips. “But if you continue to protest, then I guess I could rip open your chest to keep that pretty heart with me.” 

Ahriman’s laugh echoed across the valley. His insanity distracted him from the howl that originated somewhere in the emptiness. 

A black hand emerged from the mist to slam itself upon the Valley. Ahriman and Luciano turned to spot the yellow eyes and wavy tendrils. The figure stepped away from the mist so that they could see the heart-shaped void in the center of its muscular chest.

“Darkside!” yelped Luciano.

“Marvelous!” Ahriman stood with his eyes wide open. “The Darkness will you now, pretty light! There is no escaping!”

Ahriman’s celebrations got cut short. The Darkside wouldn’t strike Luciano; instead, it grabbed onto Ahriman and brought him to the dark void.

Ahriman attempted to wiggle his way free. “What are you doing? Stupid Heartless! You’re supposed to claim the Light, not me!” Ahriman’s yells echoed across the valley as the Darkside dragged him away from this place.

Luciano chuckled as he never expected to see that. He dropped to the ground and took several deep breaths with him finally realizing how exhausted he was now. “That was anticlimactic, but I’m not complaining. At least I’m safe. For now.” 

Sleep finally took hold of Luciano as he collapsed. With his eyes closing, he became unaware of what would happen next. He didn’t see or feel as the shadows started to wrap themselves around him as a dark portal opened beneath him. 

He breathed softly as he began to sink into the darkness as the Realm of Darkness had something else in mind.

*~*

Layla slammed Divine Rose to the ground as she finally returned to her office. She ordered many of her Wielders to hunt Eva and Kev down. She wouldn’t allow them to live for another day after forcing such a great humiliation upon her.

Layla fell to her hands and knees. She flinched from the injuries she sustained from having her spell rebounded. It angered her while also making her feel impressed by her power. If she could only use it to destroy all that dared to oppose her then things would turn out different.

“I must extinguish all the traitors,” said Layla. “I won’t allow the Order’s weaknesses to cause its fall. I must preserve the true Light!”

The anger behind her voice didn’t go unnoticed. 

Sunlight pierced the curtains behind her desk. The Light’s warmth soothed Layla’s troubled body when she felt a weight on her hand. 

“Destroy them all, Master Layla,” whispered a voice from the Light. “It must be you that restores harmony to the worlds. You are our only hope.”

Layla smiled as the soft voice touched her heart. It brought tears to her eyes as she felt herself in the presence of God. 

“I will,” said Layla. “I will restore order.” 

The Light faded, retreating beyond this land but now pleased as it found a worthy champion.


	12. Mark of Descent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, y'all. Looks like I'll get these two chapters a week done for this story.
> 
> Also, if any of you are part of the protests going on across the U.S., stay safe out there. If you're going to a protest, do everything you can to cover yourself both to minimize the risk of Covid's spread and to protect your identity. And, if you can, leave your phones at home or turn off location services and wipe the data already stored on your phone/the cloud. The police are known for using that data to find out who the protestors are so that they can retaliate against them since the Ferguson protests. Remember that your safety is the most important thing.

Months would pass without any news. Even as Doron and Thomas created a new program based on William’s theory to track the Foretellers’ Keyblades, they found nothing. No signs narrowed down the location of the Keyblades, they found no trace of Luciano, and they struggled to keep track of the Unversed Ahriman.

Things felt more desperate. The optimism that they once had extinguished as everything turned to the worse.

In the months since Luciano got trapped in the Realm of Darkness, everything showed signs of falling to chaos. The Proteas retreated entirely into the shadows, rumors spread that any surviving Harlequin either died or became Unversed, and the Order seemingly abandoned protecting other worlds. 

All they could recover from the occasional student that escaped the Academy was Layla falling to blind obsessions with preserving the Light. Now, the Order only cared for protecting the Land of Departure and Radiant Garden. No one knew what to make of the Order’s new course of action, but at least meant they could operate freely without worries of assault. And it would delay the beginning of a new Keyblade War.

However, they also knew that the Unversed Ahriman would trigger one themselves if they couldn’t get the Order to act accordingly.

Thomas snored as he slept on a couch across from the computer. The program continued to work, seeking out any signs of progress that would make the months of work worth it.

Doron returned from the kitchen with another energy drink. He needed a bit more energy since he planned on re-working on the code to make it more efficient.

Doron stopped when he noticed Thomas nearly falling from the couch. Doron huffed before pushing Thomas back onto the couch and tossed a blanket over his sleeping body. “What would you do without me, Tommy Boy.” Doron leaned to kiss Thomas on the forehead, prompting the sleeping Thomas to smile. 

Returning to the computer, Doron braced himself to spend more hours in front of his station. He groaned at the thought before opening the program.

However, before Doron could touch a single key, the ringing of the alarm caught his attention. The ringing of the alarm jolted Thomas out of his sleep as he immediately ran to his station too.

“Fuck.” Thomas messed with the programming. “Don’t tell me it’s the Unversed again. The others barely returned from cleaning up the mess at Neverland.”

Doron shook his head as his eyes widened. “It’s not that. It’s the Keyblades’ signal!” Doron pointed to a map with Thomas finally taking notice. For months, they saw six blinking lights scattered across the Oceans Between, the energy that the Foretellers and Luxu’s Keyblades generated. They already crossed Gazing Eye from the list but waited for news of the others.

And now, the program narrowed its reading to identify the locations of two of the missing Keyblades.

Thomas applauded. “Yes! We got two!” He pulled the results up so that they could identify the worlds. “Twilight Town. Deep Jungle. It’s only two, but this is the lead we needed.”

“Finally, real progress!” Doron jumped from his chair to cheer as Thomas did the same. They soon hugged as they finally saw the results that they desperately sought.

In their excitement, the hug became something more. Doron and Thomas stared into each other’s eyes for a moment before leaning closer. Their lips met with them deepening it into a fierce kiss, exchanging saliva and tongues. After months of working in such proximity, their pent up emotions finally reached the surface. 

They didn’t know if it was honest affection or frustration turned to joy, but they celebrated the moment as best they could.

Until they heard a cough, they parted to look behind him to find the others. Odysseus raised an eyebrow, while Troilus laughed as he had an arm wrapped around Brendan’s waist.

Brendan sighed as he attempted to end the awkward situation. “So, we found some Keyblades.” He walked over to the monitor to review the results. “Twilight Town and Deep Jungle. Interesting choices for the Master to hide his apprentices’ Keyblades.”

“They must have a deeper meaning,” said Troilus.

“Right!” Doron coughed as he looked away from Thomas. For once in his life, he found himself blushing as he never experienced embarrassment like this before. “How do we do this? Do we split up into groups to find the Keyblades or do one at a time.”

“Split up.” Odysseus crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll lead a team to Twilight Town.”

Thomas squinted his eyes before nodding at the memory of the mansion. “Right. The possible connection to Ira.”

Before losing Luciano to the Dark Realm, Odysseus learned which Foreteller that each of them shared a connection with so he could tell the others. Their awareness led them to dig into recovering what information they could of the Foretellers so that they could trigger an awakening and better equip themselves to find the missing Keyblades. 

“Then, I’ll go with you,” said Doron. 

Brendan stared at the monitor. His eyes focused onto the readings on Deep Jungle, which tugged at something within his heart. “I’ll go to the jungle.”

“I’ll go with Odysseus then.” Troilus’s willingness to leave with Odysseus came as a surprise to everyone. They expected Troilus to join Brendan since they became a couple, but it didn’t take much to figure out why Troilus would go with Odysseus instead. The old rivalry remained, even if it remained a one-sided one.

Thomas patted Brendan’s back. “Looks like it’s you and me then.”

Brendan smiled as he graciously accepted Thomas’s assistance. He went over to Troilus and kissed him on the cheek. “Behave on your mission,” Brendan whispered. “And don’t keep me waiting long, Aquaman.”

Troilus nodded as he held Brendan’s hand for a moment. “Aye. Aye, captain.”

*~*

Time meant nothing in the Realm of Darkness. 

Luciano opened his eyes to find himself floating in a dark void. The last thing Luciano could recall was seeing a Darkside drag Ahriman away before falling. 

Darkness covered Luciano, but instead of feeling suffocated, he felt emptiness. Luciano wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and return to sleep.

“What’s the point?” Luciano whispered. “I have no Keyblade to fight. Ahriman is chasing me. And I have no means of getting back home.” He closed his eyes and returned to drifting into the dark expanse. “I give up.”

Luciano drifted away, allowing the Realm of Darkness to snuff out what little strength he had left.

However, Light had no intention of giving up on Luciano yet.

A tiny glimmer of light floated from the dark void. It’s gentle radiance brushed across Luciano’s face to give him warmth and hope. 

“ _What is the one thing you care about more than anything else?_ ”

Luciano opened his eyes. He tilted his body forward to see the tiny light floating in the infinite emptiness. “What?”

“ _What is the one thing you care about more than anything else?_ ” The voice projected itself from the tiny light.

The light’s warmth found its way to the Light within Luciano’s heart. Luciano smiled. “Everyone that I love,” he responded.

“Good answer.” The light shifted in appearance. It took a human form with Luciano gasping as he recognized the person from his history lessons but also his heart.

A blond, spiky-haired boy appeared who gazed at Luciano with his mesmerizing blue eyes. His clothes a mix match of a white jacket with black and gray pants. Pieces of armor appeared on his shoulder, boots, and underneath his jacket. Leather straps crossed over his chest, and a Mark of Mastery pendant appeared over the straps. 

Ventus extended his hand out to Luciano. “ _Follow me. I’ll show you the way through the Darkness._ ”

Luciano reached for Ventus’s hand only for Ventus to fade into a tiny light once more. The light retreated to the Darkness, but Luciano wouldn’t allow it to abandon him. Luciano didn’t know how Ventus manifested to him, or even if this was the real Ventus but rather a hallucination. Still, Luciano gave chase as he wouldn’t lose sight of Ventus as he knew that this was his only chance to escape.

*~*

For what felt like the millionth time, Odysseus returned to the Old Mansion at Twilight Town. Troilus and Doron kept close as they wandered into its dusty halls to find nothing new that would alert them to a Foreteller’s Keyblade.

However, they did pay closer attention to the unicorn symbols scattered across the mansion. It felt like a connection to the Foreteller Ira, which meant that Odysseus indeed belonged on this mission.

Troilus brushed his finger across a dusty table. “So many people have come here, and yet none found an ancient Keyblade. What makes us think we can pull it off?”

“Because we have big guns!” Doron patted Odysseus on the shoulder. “Odysseus is cosmically linked to Ira from reincarnation. I’d imagine that the Keyblade is hidden with powerful magic that only someone like Odysseus can perceive and break.”

Odysseus huffed. “I think the fish boy has a point.” He briefly glanced at Troilus, noticing a sharp glare. “Unless the Keyblade is invisible, there isn’t much of the old mansion that hasn’t been searched. Where else could we possibly look?”

Troilus muttered profanities at Odysseus that went ignored. 

Doron stroked the stubble growing from his chin as he pushed himself deeper into thought. “Well, I guess that’s where you come in, big guy. You told us before that you felt a connection to this place.” Doron folded his arms behind his back. “Where do you feel the connection? Is there a part of the mansion that feels truly special to you?”

Odysseus blinked. He hadn’t thought of his connection, the siren call he felt whenever setting foot into this place. “I’m not sure.”

“Then focus,” growled Troilus. “We need to find all the Foretellers’ Keyblades if we’re going to stand a chance to rescue Luciano and defeat Ahriman.”

“I know that!” Odysseus’s frustrations flared. He knew that, but Troilus’s prodding didn’t help any.

Odysseus took a deep breath. While it frustrated him to recall his training with Virgil, he thought of the old lessons that Virgil imparted upon him to perceive deeper meanings. He opened his heart to the feelings the mansion brought.

A faint glow arose over Odysseus’s heart. Static images flashed before Odysseus’s eyes of a man in a unicorn mask. He could see Ira and even felt Ira’s emotions when everything went dark once more. The images faded, but the feeling lingered.

“We need to go down,” said Odysseus. “To the deepest parts of the mansion.”

Doron nodded his head. “Lead the way, Ody!”

“Stop calling me that.” Odysseus turned to lead them down to the basement. 

*~*

The cries of the wildlife left Brendan and Thomas nervous as they never came to a world like this one. They found themselves wandering the bamboo thicket of the Deep Jungle. Other than a few gorillas, they didn’t encounter any wild animals, but they knew that could change at any minute.

Brendan applied more bug repellent onto his skin. “We really drew the short end of the stick with this assignment.”

Thomas chuckled. He ignored the buzzing of the mosquitos as the world reminded him enough of the Big Easy, although far more nature-oriented and fewer drunk people roaming the streets. And he found the humidity almost as unbearable as home. “You tell me, Brendan.” Thomas stuffed his hands into his pockets as he looked over his shoulder. “You volunteered for this trip. Do you feel a connection to this place?”

“Iー” Brendan looked to the blazing sun over their heads. He could feel something tugging at his heart. “I guess so. It’s like there is a missing part of me that is longing for me to find it. I don’t how else to explain it.”

“Probably exactly like that.” Thomas scratched his forehead. They had so little data on the Foretellers, especially someone as secretive as Gula. “If you really are tied to Gula, then I can see the connection to this world. A mighty leopard once roamed this jungle. Maybe a kindred spirit to Gula?”

“Maybe.” Brendan sighed. “That still doesn’t give us a clue of where to look.”

Thomas nodded. “Then, let’s start at this world’s Keyhole. The records state that it is hidden in a waterfall cavern. Maybe something there will guide us in the right direction.”

For a moment, Brendan’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the waterfall. Brendan placed his hand over his chest to steady himself. He could feel his heart telling him something, but he couldn’t tell if it was a good sign or a bad omen of things to come.

Either way, Brendan followed as Thomas guided them to the waterfall.

*~*

Returning to the basement of the Old Mansion, they ignored the computer room first since they mined the data there enough times. Nothing of value remained that would provide even the slightest bit of assistance in uncovering Ira’s Keyblade. They instead focused on the other rooms of the basement to find any hints.

They left the dark-blue hall to enter a brightly illuminated hallway. The fact that lights still functioned proved miraculous.

Leaning against the walls, they found a few floral bud-like pods covered in dust and broken. They ventured deeper to see the central chamber where a shattered pod laid in ruins. The pod that they knew once housed Sora while he spent a year sleeping so that he could recover his memories.

And still, they found no sign of an ancient Keyblade. 

Doron frowned. “Maybe the data was no good. I do not see any traces of this Keyblade.”

Troilus crossed his arms. He looked over at Odysseus then huffed. “I guess your connection is no good.”

“Shut up!” Odysseus growled. His frustrations at failing to find the Keyblade prompted him to lash out. He slammed his foot to the ground. “I’m trying here! What do you have to offer, Troilus, besides your bad attitude?”

A shockwave of energy rippled across the floor from where Odysseus stood. Silver light arose from the broken pod as something triggered the pod to move slowly, revealing a new pathway deeper into the basement.

They stared at the path for a moment, realizing that they likely found the location of Ira’s Keyblade.

Doron gulped. “I guess all that was missing was Ody releasing his energy.”

“Maybe.” Odysseus led them down the pathway.

They ventured down a dark staircase until they arrived into a chamber where glowing lines of green energy illuminated the walls. The chamber itself didn’t appear unusual, but they also found no traces of a Keyblade.

However, before they could throw in the towel, the chamber itself began to quake. A silver light illuminated the chamber, and once it died out, they found themselves standing on a stainglass platform that floated in a dark void.

Troilus shook his head. “What the hell happened?” A howl in the distance alerted them to danger. He drew Abyssal Tide. “Scratch that. We have bigger problems now.

Odysseus and Doron summoned their Keyblades as well. 

From the void, a colossal entity arose in a white bodysuit with four blue tentacles wiggling from its neck. The narrow-waisted entity pulled itself closer to reveal its spiky form until they finally noticed the sigil on its face that almost matched the shape of its body.

“A Nobody!” said Doron as he clung to the hilt of Missing Ache. “Twilight Thorn!”

Odysseus raised End of Pain. “I bet it’s guarding Ira’s Keyblade.”

Troilus nodded. “Brace yourselves! This isn’t going to be easy.”

Twilight Thorn wiggled its massive body without any trouble. It stretched itself across the pillar as it brought its head even closer. “ _Eliminate intruders._ ” The distorted voice of the Nobody echoed across the void. “ _Intruders! Eliminate!_ ”

Twilight Thorn slammed its hand onto the platform, causing the entire thing to shake. It nearly caused them to lose their balance, but they held it together.

Doron spun before launching a Firaga spell onto the Twilight Thorn’s hand. The flames burned the Nobody, causing it to wiggle away.

However, they wouldn’t allow it to escape that easily. Troilus launched his Keyblade into a Strike Raid to smash the Nobody’s face. It gave Odysseus the opportunity that he needed to run across the platform to make his move. Odysseus slashed End of Pain across the Nobody’s chest, applying enough force to send the Nobody flying off the platform.

The Twilight Thorn vanished from sight, but they knew better than to drop their guard. Unlike Heartless, Nobodies proved themselves as cunning adversaries. They could strategize and organize their attacks into lethal strikes.

Doron looked around the platform. He blinked for a second, which left him unable to spot a pair of blue tentacles emerging from the void. He only had enough time to scream as the tentacles pulled him into the void.

“No!” Odysseus and Troilus chased after the tentacles only for them to disappear with Doron. 

The Twilight Thorn flew from the opposite end of the platform as it kept Doron restrained. The Nobody glided closer, prompting Odysseus and Troilus to jump to avoid the attack. The Nobody spun its body around to unleash threads of Twilight energy that it would use to crush them.

“Move it!” Odysseus warned as he jumped into the air, avoiding the first barrage.

Troilus followed similarly. “Don’t have to tell me twice.” They jumped as high as they could to chase Twilight Thorn as they heard Doron’s pleas for help. 

Odysseus squeezed onto End of Pain’s handle as he looked at Troilus. “We need to work together. Doron’s life depends on it.”

“Right.” Troilus transformed Abyssal Tide into its whip form and wrapped it around the Twilight Thorn’s arm. He grabbed onto Odysseus’s hand, rocketing them closer. “Kick its ass!” He tossed Odysseus, launching him like a missile for a closer strike.

Odysseus swung his Keyblade only for Twilight Thorn to intercept the attack with its hand. “Damn it!” Odysseus pressed against the Nobody’s defenses. “You won’t get the best of me!”

“ _Eliminate intruders_.”

The other tentacles launched out to the void to wrap themselves around Troilus, taking him prisoner too. Odysseus gasped as he kicked himself away from Twilight Thorn only for the Nobody to gather a blast of energy that it shot Odysseus with, sending him down to the platform.

Odysseus crashed hard. He groaned from the pain as he struggled to pull himself back up. He could hear Troilus and Doron’s pleas for help. Meanwhile, Twilight Thorn gathered another orb of energy as it prepared to annihilate Odysseus with a single blast.

Odysseus refused to let that happen. He grabbed End of Pain, fighting against his injuries to make his next move. “You won’t win! I won’t let anyone defeat me!” Odysseus growled as he ran across the platform. He ignored every nerve of his body telling him to give up as he could only think of saving Doron and Troilus from the Twilight Thorn and rescuing Luciano from the Realm of Darkness. “I won’t let you hurt my friends!”

End of Pain fading away as silver light erupted from within it. Odysseus paid it no mind as he jumped across the dark void while his Keyblade took a new form. A spiky, silver and white Keyblade manifested itself with the face of a unicorn at the center while cloud-like figures surrounded the hilt. The keychain itself bore a symbol of the Gazing Eye surrounded by five spikes.

Odysseus swung Ira’s Keyblade at Twilight Thorn, shattering the creature in a single blow. Light erupted from the vanquished entity as it released Troilus and Doron as it began to fade to nothing.

The void vanished with everyone returning to the pod room with Odysseus carrying Ira’s Keyblade instead of End of Pain.

Doron dropped to his knees from exhaustion, but his eyes lit up as he spotted the Keyblade in Odysseus’s hand. “Whoa! There it is.”

Troilus smiled. He walked over to Odysseus, patting him on the shoulder. “Thank you. For saving our asses.”

Odysseus nodded. “Anytime.” His gaze returned to Ira’s Keyblade. He flicked his other wrist, prompting End of Pain to materialize too. For the first time in months, he felt calm and in control. With this new Keyblade, he knew that they stood a chance at rescuing Luciano now.

*~*

Climbing the slick walls of the waterfall’s cavern proved far more complicated than Brendan and Thomas expected. However, they managed to reach the secret cave where Deep Jungle’s Keyhole rested in secret. 

They wandered into the cavern to find a damp environment. Countless vines covered the slick ground and walls. A colorful flock of butterflies covered a spot on the rocky wall that matched the Keyhole’s location.

Wheel of Fate and Spellbinder manifested in their hands. They aimed the Keyhole with the butterflies departing as they hoped that the world’s Keyhole would provide some type of guidance.

However, Darkness manifested from the Keyhole instead. The Darkness pushed Thomas out of the cavern but left Brendan behind.

Brendan covered his face with his Keyblade as he tried to reach for Thomas. “No! Thomas!”

Thomas’s screams echoed from the waterfalls before going silent. Brendan gasped. His heart sank as he feared that Thomas got injured or possibly died.

Brendan muttered a single cry, but the Darkness wasn’t finished. The emptiness covered Brendan. It trapped him in a chilly prison that pulled at the things deep within his heart.

Echoes vibrated against the walls of the cavern. Brendan shuddered as he heard voices from his past, all of which came from his time on the Vorpal Steed. He could feel the salty breeze against his skin with the echoes becoming images.

Brendan saw himself as the pirates forced him to do countless odd jobs. Most too terrible, but many were disgusting. The memories darkened as he got older, and the requests became more deviant. 

Brendan’s screams echoed from the first time the pirates violated him. Brendan screamed with the memory of himself as he dropped to his knees. The images twisted until he saw a ragged looking, dark-haired man towering over him. He looked up to find Captain James Tarclaw, the same man that ordered the abuse to begin.

“ _You’re my little glutton, Brenny. Isn’t that right?_ ” said Captain Tarclaw. He leaned closer, gazing at Brendan with his dark-green eyes. 

Brendan felt himself sinking into a swamp when looking into the captain’s eyes. He could smell the burning scent of rum and whiskey against his skin as he started to recall everything that the captain did. 

Captain Tarclaw licked his lips as he leaned over to kiss Brendan’s neck. “ _Only I can make my little piggy feel good._ ”

“Don’t touch me!” shouted Brendan as he swung Wheel of Fate.

Wheel of Fate tore the captain’s chest open. The image transformed with Brendan seeing the bloody corpses of the other pirates, all dead by his hand.

Brendan felt the tears trickle from his eyes as he stared at the bodies. A smirk started to spread across his face as the Darkness focused on the bodies. “You think this will break me?” said Brendan. He raised Wheel of Fate. “You think I regret killing my tormentors? They violated me. They made my life hell! The only thing I regret is not killing them sooner!”

Brendan laughed as he stepped away from the ship that the memory projected. He leaned towards the edge so that he could face the ocean. He ignored the memories of his past to only think of his future. When he opened his eyes, he saw a reflection of Troilus in his merman form in the water.

“I won’t forget the past if that’s what you want, but it no longer weighs me down,” said Brendan. “I have people that care for me. I have my friends. Troilus.” Brendan jumped overboard and embraced the sea. “You have no power over me!”

The surface rippled as he sank into the ocean with the Darkness vanishing.

Reality returned to normal.

Brendan found himself at the base of the waterfall. He held onto Wheel of Fate in one hand, but soon felt the weight of something equally heavy on the other hand. He looked to his right hand to find a new Keyblade in his possession. He raised it to see the face of a leopard at the core of the blade and hilt.

The entire Keyblade resembled that of several lightning bolts. Above the leopard’s face, he saw a heart-symbol associated with the Foretellers. Then, he focused on the Keychain, which bore the symbol of the Gazing Eye. 

“Gula’s Keyblade,” whispered Brendan. “Was that your test? You wanted me to admit my connections to people?”

“Brendan!”

The water rippled and crashed. Thomas swam towards Brendan to meet him at the base of the waterfall.

Thomas gasped as he noticed Gula’s Keyblade. “You know I would call you an idiot from jumping off the top of a waterfall, but it clearly worked.”

Brendan squinted his eyes. “I jumped from the waterfall? But I was on a boat.”

“A boat?” Thomas shook his head. “When we summoned the Keyhole, you started screaming then climbed up the waterfall. I tried going after you when I tripped and landed here. Next thing I knew, you were jumping from the top.”

Somehow, Brendan believed Thomas’s every word even as the trial told him something different. Brendan could only laugh as none of that mattered. They had Gula’s Keyblade now, which meant they were one step closer to rescuing Luciano.

*~*

Ventus’s Light led Luciano into a distant corner of the Realm of Darkness. The void parted itself with the Light ascending to the sky. Luciano’s surroundings shifted until he heard the crunching of sand beneath him and heard the gentle roar of the ocean. Rocky columns created arches across the sea with an ominous full moon hanging over the sky.

The dark sea appeared still, but it still left Luciano nervous about standing anywhere near the water as he kept to the coastline. He didn’t know what manner of Heartless might lurk there. 

“ _A lovely view, don’t you think?_ ” said a rough, masculine voice. “ _I’m glad that my little messenger found you._ ”

Luciano spun around as he expected Ahriman to have tracked him down. Instead, a tanned-skinned man with slicked-back silver hair greeted him. The man stared at Luciano with his piercing, amber-colored eyes. His muscular frame and dark clothing left an ominous feeling as Luciano recognized the man from textbooks.

Luciano flicked his wrist to summon fire. “Xehanort!”

The Xehanort look-alike smirked as he shook his head. “ _No. Not Xehanort,_ ” said the man. “ _I only took this form so that you could perceive me. I am something different._ ”

“A Heartless?” asked Luciano as he tried to understand this man’s meaning.

“ _No. I am Darkness._ ” The man chuckled a little. He extended his hand out to Luciano. “ _The Primordial Darkness. God of this land. Guardian of Kingdom Hearts. It is time that we speak, incarnation of Supria._ ”

Luciano nearly fainted as standing before a god was something he could never have anticipated.


	13. Mark of Strength

Over a year past since Luciano got trapped in the Realm of Darkness, and the Realm of Light became a dimmer place for it.

The Unversed-Ahriman continued to run wild. Little derailed their progress as they claimed the lives of more Keyblade Wielders. The Unversed didn’t settle for targeting the Proteas, the Order, or the Harlequins as they also ambushed former Academy students and even Wielders after they first manifested a Keyblade. 

More and more hearts fell to Ahriman’s wickedness. And almost no one could derail their mad march across the worlds. 

However, the Unversed had a natural predator too. Odysseus and his gang did all they could to kill any Unversed, but even they were often too late to do much good. Instead, it was William that turned the tides as he waged a one-man war against the Unversed.

Returning to the oasis of Agrabah, William raced across the sand with nothing slowing him down in the slightest. He swung Gazing Eye to slice the throat of an Unversed, spilling blood across the desert. Some of the blood fell onto his face, which he licked away what little he could. 

William tilted his head to find a dozen more Unversed still roaming free. On the ground, the corpses of two Proteas’ faded while one became reborn as an Unversed. William rested Gazing Eye on his shoulder as he glared at them. “You’re not as clever as your progenitor. It makes killing you rather pointless.” William left Gazing Eye to his side with the tip touching the sand. “However, you are his spawn. And for that, you’re my responsibility.”

The Unversed howled as they charged William. They raised their copies of Chaos Ripper, which proved almost as lethal as the real thing. Their voices echoed as a powerful chorus while they all spouted taunts after William.

“You are nothing, boy.”

“Gazing Eye belongs to us!”

“We will break you!”

William huffed. “There is nothing for you to break.”

William dove into the middle of the Unversed and showed no regard for himself. He didn’t have the right to show concern for himself after failing to save Luciano and being unable to do much else to help his friends find the Foretellers’ Keyblades. All he could do was make certain that the Unversed couldn’t unleash any more havoc, which he failed as three more Wielders lost their lives.

William growled as he tore the throat of an Unversed opened. He grabbed another and conjured fire from his hand to melt the Unversed’s face.

The Unversed became furious to see their comrades fall, but also nervous. William demonstrated his ruthlessness on multiple occasions, which meant they needed to take drastic actions. They assembled and raised their Chaos Rippers to conjure burning slashes of dark energy.

Their attack manifested as something hotter than the desert itself. It made it harder for William to breathe, but he had no intention of surrendering. Before William could react, however, a dark barrier manifested around him, shielding him from the flames.

William looked to find Kurai standing on a nearby dune. Kurai smirked as he manifested the barrier from Way to the Dawn. “Don’t drop your guard!” Kurai twisted his Keyblade behind him as he jumped into the pit to slash at a pair of Unversed.

“Speak for yourself, old man!” William kicked an Unversed before stabbing another.

Kurai engulfed a pair of Unversed with a barrage of Dark Firaga when William got closer. William struck the survivors with a chain of Dark Thundaga that electrified them to the point of death. 

The Unversed faded into nothing except a dark mist that lingered for a second more before it too faded.

Gazing Eye vanished from William’s grip as he turned to Kurai. “You took your sweet time getting here. Did you have too much fun with the innkeeper’s son in the bathhouse?”

Kurai huffed. “You’re a judgy one, apprentice. I don’t question your activities.” 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” William kicked the shredded fabric of an Unversed’s Black Coat. “They’re getting bolder. And more desperate. I guess that means I’m doing my job.”

“Which means they’ll focus more on you and less on attacking others,” said Kurai. “A rather reckless plan if you ask me.”

William smirked. “Good thing nobody did.”

“I guess I’m not needed here after all!” A familiar voice rang across the desert. William and Kurai turned to another dune to find Eva joining them. 

Eva carried Three Wishes with her, but she dismissed her Keyblade as it wasn’t needed. “My people. I take it that they didn’t make it.” 

Kurai shook his head. “Unfortunately, no.”

Eva frowned. “They’ll be remembered.” She turned to William. “Since you’re still here, I wanted to let you know that we think we found a way to help Luciano. It’s a bit of a gamble, but it’s our best chance of bringing him home.”

The glimmer of hope returned to William’s heart. The emotion that he worked so hard to suppress in the last year since it gave him more pain than joy. 

However, William knew that Eva wouldn’t speak on it without strongly believing that they could save Luciano. Juan wouldn’t settle for anything less either.

“I’m listening, instructor,” said William, maintaining his emotional distance. “But you, flower children, have disappointed me enough times.”

Eva nodded as she began to explain the plan.

*~*

The computer at Auradon buzzed as it continued to detect the signals of the Foretellers’ Keyblades. Since retrieving Ira and Gula’s Keyblades, Doron and Thomas managed to recalculate the program to better narrow down the locations of the remaining Keyblades. However, trouble remained. The signals from Ava, Invi, and Aced’s Keyblades proved fainter than the others. 

They spent months trying to strengthen their signals, but it became increasingly clear that somehow the signals got blocked. They didn’t know if it came from the struggles with the Unversed, or something cosmic. They assumed since Ira and Gula’s Keyblades appeared only when Odysseus and Brendan proved themselves worthy, so it likely meant the same for the others too.

Doron groaned as he fell to the desk chair. He felt a little more padding than usual, but it didn’t come from a comfy chair. He put on a little weight since he spent more time doing deskwork instead of fieldwork as he left Odysseus, Brendan, and Troilus with fighting Unversed. He barely even left the clocktower since he felt a need to keep an eye on the computers at all times.

However, Thomas didn’t feel such restraints even though he lived with Luciano for years at the Academy. Thomas knew that the computer would detect the Keyblades sooner or later, so he still took the time to care for himself. Granted Thomas’s self-care routine mostly involved taking a lot of long naps that everyone worried that he slipped into a coma.

A sweaty Odysseus and Troilus entered the room. 

Since their mission in Twilight Town, their relationship improved considerably. In expressing his concerns, Odysseus denied Troilus of much of his rage. Even as Troilus still had a bit of an envious side when it came to Odysseus, it manifested itself in a more manageable way as they used each other as sparring partners. Troilus’s skilled improved considerably while Odysseus finally found someone who could keep him on his toes.

“What’s the news?” asked Odysseus as he glanced at the monitor but understood none of it.

Doron shrugged. “Same as yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that one.”

Troilus frowned as he scratched his head. “What is going on with the sensors. I thought since we acquired two of the Keyblades that this would get easier. Did we mess up by not waiting until the others show themselves too?”

“No, I think something else is at work.” Thomas stopped resting his eyes as he managed to keep himself from falling into another nap. “These Keyblades are more temperamental than other ones. I imagine since the Master of Masters forged them himself that it has something to do with it. Which probably means something needs to happen with our hearts first before we can detect them.”

“What a waste of time,” said Troilus. “Why don’t you try hitting the computer to see if that speeds things up?”

Doron glared at Troilus. “Touch this computer, and I’ll rip your kidneys out with a rusty knife.”

“Don’t threat the boyfriend.” Brendan returned to the clocktower with groceries and caught the tail end of the conversation. He handed the bags over to Odysseus and Troilus to force them into unpacking everything.

Brendan went over to the monitors. He didn’t ask the question since he could read the data for himself to see for himself. While he wasn’t as tech-savvy, he got better in the past year. “Something’s gotta give.” He flicked his wrist to summon Gula’s Keyblade. The leopard face stared back at him as he pointed it at the computer. “Why can’t you be more helpful? We need to save your marker’s reincarnation.”

The leopard eyes on the handle flashed. Thomas and Doron noticed since they tried to get Brendan to point the thing away from the computer only to hear ringing. They stared at the computer, where they got the location of two signals.

Doron’s jaw dropped. “That actually worked!”

Odysseus and Troilus returned from the kitchen. The news of them uncovering two more Keyblades revitalized the energy in the clocktower as they found themselves hopeful once more that they could save Luciano after all.

As Thomas and Doron read the locations, Odysseus felt his Gummi phone ring. Odysseus glanced at it to see Juan’s face and number flashing across the screen before he answered. “We got the signal of two more Keyblades,” said Odysseus. “What do you got?”

“A way to find Luciano,” said Juan. “But we’ll need help to pull it off.”

Odysseus smiled. “Tell me what you need.”

*~*

Layla stared at the monitor in a bunker at the Land of Departure. She noticed the signals of three Wielders disappearing from the Oceans Between en route to Radiant Garden. It disgusted her to know that her comrades likely became spawn of the Unversed now. 

Despite the Order’s retreat, they retained a significant awareness on the state of the other worlds. From her bunker, Layla knew the struggles of the people attempting to preserve the Light. It pained her heart terribly as she couldn’t do more with the Order’s resources running low. And as Ahriman’s forces continued to assault the worlds, she knew it was only a matter of time before she would get forced to take direct action.

“I mustn’t fail,” whispered Layla. “I am the only one who can save these worlds. Everyone is depending upon me!”

A wisp of Light manifested behind Layla that went unseen. The Light grew and took an almost human shape as it extended a pale hand out to touch Layla’s shoulder.

“You are the righteous one, Layla. The safety of the worlds rests upon you,” spoke the Light. “You mustn’t give in to despair. Hold onto that rage, and it shall guide you to victory.”

Layla touched her heart. While she couldn’t see the Light or even hear its words, she could feel the presence. The divine inspiration took hold of her, granting her all the courage that she needed to face these dark times.

Layla smiled. “We must destroy our enemies. The remaining students are key. They must be pushed to take their Field Exams now. We must replace the comrades that we lost if we are to stand a chance against the Darkness.”

“Yes!” Layla shouted. “That is what we must do.” Layla left the dark bunker to spread her message to the faculty so that they could adjust their studies.

Meanwhile, the Light’s shape changed as it appeared to smile. It pleased the Light that Layla continued down this path of madness, for it would lead to the destruction of Darkness.

*~*

This topsy-turvy world proved the perfect hiding place for the Proteas. William and Kurai wandered down the grassy field at their diminished size. Colossal insects wandered passed them without paying any attention. Eva warned William and Kurai to stay close as the bizarre laws of Wonderland meant that anything could happen.

Eva guided them into an upside-down, single-story house where they entered from a window instead of a door. Once inside, they found appearances were quite deceiving. The house appeared massive on the inside and a technological wonder as the Proteas converted it to fulfill their needs.

Inside, dozens of Proteas gathered as Wonderland acted as their final sanctuary against the Unversed. 

Several monitors covered the walls that analyzed the situation of other worlds. Many Proteas disappeared into other rooms as the house operated a fully-functional base. They could eat, sleep, bathe, and train to their hearts’ contentment.

Eva gestured them to follow her into a tech lab. More Proteas appeared here as they gathered around a broken archway made of red and white bricks. 

There, they found Juan standing with Odysseus. 

William smirked. “Of course, they brought you here, Spartan.” 

Odysseus looked over his shoulder. He didn’t show much expression, although his eyes got mistier when he noticed William. “Good to see you too, lover,” said Odysseus. “Why did you decide to show up now? Did you tame your Darkness?”

“I’m not sure,” said William, “but it’s been over a year. We can’t let Luciano wait a moment longer.”

“Agreed,” said Odysseus.

Kurai joined them but instead focused his gaze on the archway. He examined the bricks closely as he found the bricks quite odd, especially since the pattern made no sense. “What type of archway is this?” he asked Juan. “There is odd magic contained within it.”

“Indeed.” Juan nodded. He touched the brick, feeling a sharp chill run down his spine. “These bricks come from the castles of the Red and White Queens of this world mixed with the blood of a dragon known as the Jabberwocky.”

“That explains the power.” Kurai squinted his eyes. “How does it help with finding Luciano?”

“Rumor says that centuries ago the Red Queen once used it to open a gateway to the Realm of Darkness to summon an unknown Heartless. Luckily, a Keyblade Master destroyed that Heartless and the arch to prevent more chaos.” Juan turned to Odysseus and Luciano. “You wield the Keyblades of the Master of Master’s apprentices. We think you can use your Keyblades and the archway to act as a compass so that you can actually locate Luciano and bring him home.”

William and Odysseus didn’t hesitate to agree as they jumped at the chance of using the archway to rescue Luciano. 

However, the Proteas still needed to make some preparations. The most crucial being that they needed to take precautions in case the Heartless used the archway to escape. It would take a couple of hours before they found themselves ready to give the archway a chance.

In the meantime, William and Odysseus would meditate to prepare themselves for whatever they might encounter in the Realm of Darkness.

The Proteas started to clear the room with Kurai following behind Juan.

Kurai bumped Juan’s arm. “You haven’t gotten much rest, have you?” He started to poke at Juan’s eyes, where the dark circles grew darker and more wrinkles covered Juan’s face. “Time is not treating you kindly, my friend.”

Juan frowned. “That is the joy of being human and not a Replica. You get to watch your body slowly fall apart.” He gave a deep sigh as he sealed the door with Sleeping Lion before taking his position near a glass window. They watched as William and Odysseus summoned their Keyblades. “I’ll rest when Luciano is home.”

Kurai nodded. He muttered a prayer for their success.

Inside the lab, William glanced at the unicorn-esque Keyblade in Odysseus’s hand. “Maybe I should start calling you a stallion instead of Spartan.”

Odysseus chuckled as he raised Ira’s Keyblade, pointing it at the archway. “Does that mean I should call you a satyr?”

William squinted his eyes. “Nevermind.” He also aimed Gazing Eye at the archway.

The archway began to radiate dark energy that assured William and Odysseus that they were on the right track. They concentrated their every thought on locating Luciano and nothing else. At that moment, they unleashed a ray of light from their Keyblades, striking the archway to open a shadowy rift. 

The rift first acted like a mirror where they caught their first bit of good news. Their faces beamed with joy as they saw Luciano wandering into a dark beach. He stumbled weakly, showing that he couldn’t last much longer in the Realm of Darkness alone.

Odysseus took William’s hand. “We have to hurry!”

“Right!” William held onto Odysseus’s hand as they jumped into the archway, allowing themselves to be transported to the Realm of Darkness.

*~*

At the world of Olympus, the signal for a Keyblade only got stronger when they approached the entrance of the Underworld. Thomas could feel his heart hammering against his chest, not from sensing the eerie nature of the dominion of the dead but because he felt the psychic pull. The connection he carried with Aced grew stronger as he stared at the jagged, green rocks that sealed the gates.

Doron shuddered as he took a step closer. “Bad idea. Real bad idea.” He gulped. “Why don’t we ask Zeus for help with Hades? It’s not a good idea for us to try to bargain with the Lord of the Underworld without help.”

“Not that it’ll do us much good.” Thomas crossed the gate. “Zeus and Hades hate each other. We’ll need to do this on our own.” He went into his pocket, making sure that he still had the Olympus Stone. The golden medallion that bore the symbol of Zeus would allow Doron and him to retain their full power even in the Underworld, which would offer them some protection from Hades’s powers.

“Still not good.” Doron took a deep breath to keep up with the pace.

The environment shifted into something considerably darker. They heard the haunting cries of the dead as their souls lingered in this frightening land. They stared out to the dark river, which they knew would ferry them across to Hades’s Palace. 

They wandered to the dock where the skeletal form of Charon the ferryman waited. They paid the fee of a gold obol to Charon, who accepted their payment even as he muttered a warning that the Underworld was no place for the living. They spoke of a desire to meet with Hades, so Charon sailed them across the River Styx to the palace.

The skull-shaped palace greeted them with a sinister aura. They could see the blue fire burning from the eye sockets, which didn’t leave them feeling any safer. 

Doron stayed close to Thomas as they didn’t know what obstacles Hades would place before them. Hades hated Keyblade Wielders after all the countless humiliations that Sora inflicted upon him. And they knew enough of this world’s history that Hades was no god to take likely.

The echoes of dogs’ howling greeted them. From across the palace, they caught a glimpse of a silhouette of the Underworld’s guardian, Cerberus. They didn’t allow their fears of Cerberus to derail their progress. 

Crossing the dark entryway, they finally reached the heart of the palace. They found a circular table at the center of the room that bore a map of the world. A few game pieces appeared on top of Hades, the Olympians, and some monsters. And at the back of the room stood the skull-shaped throne that Hades sat upon. 

The blue fire burned from the head of the pale-skinned god. He glared at them with his yellow eyes as he gave a toothy smile. “Keyblade Wielders. At my front door. Well, what do I owe this delightful pleasure?” Hades wrapped his bony fingers around the handles of his throne. “Come to bargain for a dead loved one? All it’ll take is your soul.”

Thomas glanced at Doron, reminding him to follow his example. Thomas dropped to one knee with Doron doing the same as he knew the secret of communicating to Lords of Death, given his experience with Vodun. “Lord Hades, I humbly request your assistance. We seek a Keyblade with the face of a bear that is located in your domain.”

“A bear-faced Keyblade? You mean this one?” Hades laughed. He snapped his fingers with a cloud of smoke manifesting as did a short-thick, brown Keyblade. The blade carved like a beast’s claw. It bore the insignia of the Master of Masters on the blade, and the Gazing Eye dangled on the end as a keychain. At the core of the hilt, they spotted a bear’s face. 

Aced’s Keyblade floated in the air with Hades showing no intention of parting with it so easily.

Thomas nodded as he bowed his head once more. “Yes, that is the one we seek.”

Hades stroked his chin. “Interesting. Now, do explain why I should part with this Keyblade? Not that I consider it valuable, but you clearly do. What price are you willing to pay?”

“A game.” Thomas tilted his head up as he cracked a smile. “An _arms_ wrestling contest. If I win, then you give us the Keyblade and allow my lover and I to leave, no tricks.”

Hades chuckled. “And if I win?”

“You get my soul.”

Doron’s eyes lit up. “Thomas! We didn’t agree to that.”

Thomas smiled. “It’s okay. I don’t plan on losing.”

Hades jumped from the throne. He flicked his wrist to transform the table into a smaller one and clear the pieces. A pair of seats manifested so that they could get comfortable. “I accept your wager, young man.” Hades placed an elbow on the table. “Not that you’ll win. You’re neither a Keyblade Master or a demigod. You won’t last a minute against me.”

“We’ll see.” Thomas took his position across from Hades. He locked hands with Hades as Doron did the countdown to start the match.

Out of boredom, Hades scaled back on his strength. He wanted to toy with Thomas for as long as he could. The bright aura around Hades began to dim down, which is what Thomas anticipated. Thomas knew that Hades hadn’t known any challenges since Hercules attained godhood.

Hades yawned as he enjoyed seeing the sweat that formed on Thomas’s forehead. However, Hades’s pride left him ignorant that it was all for show. Thomas glanced at Doron with their agreed-upon signal. Thomas licked his top lip.

Doron turned to the window and shrieked. “Oh my! What is Hercules doing to Cerberus!”

Old instincts kicked in as Hades nearly jumped from the table. His grip went even more limp as he cursed Hercules’s name. It left Hades completely exposed for Thomas to spring his trap. Thomas used his other arm too and slammed Hades’s arm to the table, winning the contest.

It was then that Hades realized the trick. Hades pulled his hand away as his skin turned red, and the fire on his body changed to red. “What! You cheating bastard!”

Thomas smirked. He flicked his wrist, prompting Aced’s Keyblade to manifest to his hand. “I didn’t cheat. I did tell you that it was an _arms_ wrestling contest. Don’t get mad at me because you heard arm.”

The flames grew hotter as Hades exploded with rage. Thomas grabbed onto Doron’s hand as they ran from the palace before they got burned alive. 

A mighty roar echoed across the Underworld. Thomas and Doron ran across a narrow walkway when Cerberus jumped over the palace with Hades riding the black dog. The three-headed dog howled as he set his sights onto them.

Doron almost summoned his Keyblade when Thomas stopped him. Thomas raised Aced’s Keyblade. “I won this,” said Thomas, “fair and square! You can’t take it back. And you promised to let us leave.”

“Not anymore, you little punk!” yelled Hades.

Cerberus nearly pounced only to whine as he immediately sat. Hades cursed his luck as he landed on the ground as a sweet wind blew across the Underworld. The cries of the dead softened as they sensed the change too.

Thomas and Doron didn’t know what to expect until they felt a hand on their shoulders. They looked behind them to see a radiant, golden-skinned woman with thick, dark curls bouncing across her shoulders. Her floral printed dress swayed as she smiled at them.

“What trouble are you causing our guests now, husband?” asked the woman.

The raging inferno dimmed as Hades returned to his normal self. “Uh. Well, Persephone, you see, these Keyblade Wielding brats played a trick on me to steal that Keyblade.”

Persephone gasped. “You mean these mortals tricked a mighty god? How shameful! What would Zeus and the others say if they learned that Hades, Lord of the Underworld, was so easily fooled?”

Hades’s eyes lit up as his pride took control. “They didn’t trick me! I...ugh, I took mercy on these mortals.” Hades laughed to maintain his standing. “Right! I was merciful. These desperate boys needed the Keyblade for some task. It means nothing to me, so it is only fair that I return it to its rightful owners.”

“My, you are a generous god, Hades.” Persephone walked over to him and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. “Now, why don’t you go take a bath. I’ll join you after making sure Cerberus gets fed. The poor doggy looks starved.”

Cerberus whined, but Hades glared at him. Hades turned to Persphone and agreed to her suggestion. As he walked away, he muttered profanity in an ancient language about how much he hated Keyblade Wielders.

Persephone snapped her fingers to conjure a colossal steak that distracted Cerberus as he accepted this generous feast. She looked over her shoulder and smiled. “I do enjoy seeing mortals outsmart my husband. It hasn’t been the same since Hercules became a god. No mortal dares to challenge Hades.”

Doron chuckled. “So, are we safe to go?”

“Leave, young warriors,” said Persephone. “But do hurry. I can’t say for certain that Hades won’t try something else.” Persephone disappeared into the palace with Cerberus following behind her as the gates closed behind them.

Doron dropped to his butt and gave a heavy sigh. He looked at Thomas. “Did you plan all of this?”

Thomas shook his head. “Honestly, we got lucky that Persephone returned to the Underworld. I thought we’d escape before Hades caught up to us.”

Doron shook his head while punching Thomas on the shoulder. Then, Doron pulled Thomas closer to kiss him even as the wails of the dead echoed across the dark caverns. “You’re lucky that I love you, dumbass.”

*~*

The warm, salty breeze greeted Troilus and Brendan. They walked along a grassy field and broken stones as they ventured across the ancient world of Atlantis. The locals didn’t pay them any attention, which worked to Troilus and Brendan since they wouldn’t need to explain their presence. It allowed them to focus on recovering Invi’s Keyblade.

Brendan summoned Gula’s Keyblade. He used it as a beacon to narrow down the location of Invi’s Keyblade since they bore similar energies. However, it was up to Troilus to do the heavy lifting. After all, Troilus is the one that bore the cosmic connection to Invi.

“I’m still surprised you’re Invi.” Brendan waved Gula’s Keyblade over the ancient ruins before looking at the stones that floated over a buzzing light. “I would’ve thought you’d have a connection to Aced since you strike me more like a bear. Although, I guess you can be as poisonous as a snake when you bite.”

Troilus squinted his eyes. “Do you really want to make fun of me, kitty cat?”

Brendan huffed. “You’re no fun, Aquaman.”

As they reached an octopus-shaped temple, the structure began to rumble. They stepped away as the temple shifted in appearance. The clay-structure crumbled apart to reveal a fleshy organism underneath. 

Troilus summoned Abyssal Tide and instinctively took his place in front of Brendan to protect him. 

An octopus-like monster appeared and slammed its six, silvery tentacles to the ground. The octopus had a mechanical like face with its mouth opening to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth. And on its head, they noticed something sticking out. They saw the glimmer of a Keyblade that bore a Gazing Eye Keychain. They could see the grayish-silver Keyblade that bore the symbol of a Cobra at its core. Petals appeared along with the corners of the Keyblade, with it having a crescent-shaped guard and with vines growing as its teeth.

“Invi’s Keyblade!”

The creature roared. 

Brendan gulped. “Now, we get to fight the Kraken. Delightful.” 

“Leave it to me!” Troilus rushed after the Kraken. “This is my trial!” Troilus swung Abyssal Tide at a tentacle with the Kraken withdrawing its injured tentacle. It swung another pair at Troilus, pinning him down to the ground.

“No!” Brendan jumped at the Kraken, swinging Gula’s Keyblade. A flash of electrical energy zapped across the air as the Kraken howled in pain. “I won’t let you hurt him, you hideous creature!”

The Kraken belched a cloud of toxic smog that blew Brendan towards a nearby building. Brendan crashed hard with the impact, only causing minor injuries. The worst of the pain came from the toxin in his lungs now that made it burn whenever he tried to breathe. 

Brendan tried to hold his breath and cast Esuna on himself, but he couldn’t maintain his concentration. Even with Gula’s Keyblade, he would need help.

“Damn it! Brendan!” Troilus pushed against the tentacle. It pressed itself further down on his lungs, causing him to scream. The poisonous cloud passed over him, so he didn’t worry about breathing in the toxin. However, he would need to break free if he would provide the help that Brendan needed.

Troilus pushed harder. He wouldn’t allow his strength to fail him, but the Kraken showed no signs of relenting. The Kraken moved its mechanical face and exposed its many teeth.

Troilus growled. “If I were more like Odysseus or William, then I could break free. But I’m not strong like them. No matter how hard I push myself.” He continued to fight the restraint as he felt the hot breath of the Kraken getting closer. He looked back to find Brendan, not showing any signs of movement, which left him feeling like his heart sank to his stomach. His desire for more strength overpowered as he instead wanted nothing more than to rescue Brendan. “I can’t give up! Not after getting this far. I have to do this for Brendan. I have to save him!”

Invi’s Keyblade began to glow. 

The Kraken hissed as the Keyblade burned against its skin. It removed the pressure from Troilus’s chest, allowing him to finally slip free.

At first, Troilus moved to strike the Kraken when he remembered his words. He rushed to Brendan’s side while Invi’s Keyblade distracted the Kraken.

Troilus jumped onto the upper floor of the ruins to reach Brendan. He could see green veins bulging from Brendan’s skin as the poison tore Brendan apart. 

Troilus shook his head. “I won’t let you die like this, Brendan.” He summoned Abyssal Tide and pointed it at Brendan. “Esuna!” A green ray of light arose from his Keyblade to applying healing aid. It neutralized some of the poison, but it still wasn’t enough that Brendan could lift Gula’s Keyblade to finish the job. 

“Damn it!” Troilus started to cry. “My magic isn’t strong enough, either! What is wrong with me? Why can’t I do more!” Troilus tossed Abyssal Tide and shook his head. He reached for Gula’s Keyblade, but it felt too heavy for him to lift. He cried and yelled. He could see Brendan’s pain and knew that he would need to do something soon or else Brendan would die. “Esuna! Esuna! Esuna!” 

Troilus’s voice boomed throughout the ruins as he tried to channel Gula’s Keyblade’s power even as the Keyblade wouldn’t allow him to wield it. He fought desperately to heal Brendan.

The Kraken howled in agony as the Light from Invi’s Keyblade gleamed brighter until it finally ripped itself from the Kraken’s skull. Dark energy erupted from the Kraken as its body began to crumble into nothingness, while the Keyblade flew across the ruins. 

Troilus shouted “Esuna” once more, but this time, he felt the weight of Invi’s Keyblade in his hand. His eyes lit up as a wave of healing magic illuminated the ruins as the Keyblade neutralized the poison in Brendan’s body.

Brendan gasped, taking in the first breath that didn’t burn. He rested his head on the ground as he looked at Troilus with teary eyes. “You did it. You saved me, Aquaman.”

“I did.” Troilus dropped Invi’s Keyblade to the ground. He pulled Brendan to his lap and leaned over, kissing Brendan hard on the lips. 

*~*

Sinking into the vast, William and Odysseus made their way into the depths of the Realm of Darkness. Gazing Eye and Ira’s Keyblade pulled them deeper until they arrived at a dark, starry sky. They glided across the sky as they neared the beach where they spotted two figures standing on the shore.

William and Odysseus flew closer to find Luciano on the beach. Luciano hadn’t changed a bit as time didn’t affect him in the Dark Realm as it did them. However, they also spotted a stranger standing with Luciano. They would soon recognize his face, too, as a younger version of the infamous Master Xehanort.

“How is Xehanort here?” asked Odysseus.

“It doesn’t matter,” said William. “We grab Luciano and get back to Wonderland before Ahriman finds us.”

They landed on their beach with their soft impact creating an echo that rippled across the beach. They lost the chance for a sneak attack as the echo caused Luciano and “Xehanort” to face them.

Luciano gasped. Aside from their hair being a little longer, William and Odysseus hadn’t changed much, which made it easy enough for Luciano to recognize them. He started to run towards them. “William! Odysseus!” Luciano’s face beamed with joy. “Are you really here?”

“It's us!” said William.

“We’re taking you home!” said Odysseus

The Xehanort look-alike shook his head. He flicked his finger to create a barrier between them, preventing Luciano from having their reunion. “You are taking him nowhere, incarnation of Ori. Supria will remain here until we are done.”

Odysseus smashed his fist against the barrier, but it proved too strong. He stepped aside when he felt a spike in energy.

William summoned Gazing Eye to blast the barrier with a Flare spell. Although, the spell did no good as it only blew a cloud of sand and didn’t even leave a scratch against the barrier. “Damn it! Let Luciano go, Xehanort!”

The sand cloud settled. Luciano shook his head. “That isn’t Xehanort,” he said calmly. “This is the Prime Darkness.”

“The Prime Darkness?” said Odysseus.

William’s jaw dropped. “What the hell!”

The Prime Darkness chuckled. “Watch your tongue, incarnation of Lagna. Your existence still belongs to me.” The Prime Darkness wiggled its finger. A shadowy portal manifested itself behind William and Odysseus as it started to drag them into it. William and Odysseus stabbed the ground with their Keyblades as they attempted to prevent their forced removal.

Luciano turned to the Prime Darkness. “What are you doing to them.”

“Sending them back to the Realm of Light.” The Prime Darkness clenched its fist. It forced the dismissal of William and Odysseus’s Keyblades, which forced them into the portal. “No worries, boys. Once we are done here, Luciano will return. But I’m afraid that the Realm of Light needs you more than it needs him.”

“No!” William and Odysseus shouted as the portal swallowed them. The image of the Dark Margain and Luciano faded from view as the portal closed.

*~*

Hurled across realities, the Wonderland archway burned energy. A dark rift opened that spat out Odysseus and William. They rolled onto the dusty floor and dumped into a wall. They heard the echo of glass shattering while they slowly pulled themselves upright.

“Fuck!” William slammed his fist to the ground. He ignored the feel of dirt and grass as his every thought focused on Luciano. “We had him! But that bastard got in our way!”

Odysseus rubbed his sore head. “The Prime Darkness. Then, that means the Prime Light is real too.” Odysseus groaned as he shrugged off the injury. “Shit! We were in a god’s presence. It doesn’t make me feel any better about any of this.”

“Screw that godly asshole!” William found his rage boiling as he prepared to go on another rant when he finally noticed their surroundings. He bore a confused expression with Odysseus taking notice too.

The lab laid in ruins. Scorch marks covered the walls, broken equipment littered the ground, and nature showed signs of reclaiming the space. The only thing that remained even slightly undamaged was the archway, but it retained its ancient figure. 

A fraction of the archway crumbled, but so did the lab itself. 

Odysseus only needed to tap the lab door to cause it to fall from its broken hinges. An eerie echo vibrated across the lab. “Not good. How long were we in the Realm of Darkness?”

William followed Odysseus out as they assessed the damage. The ceiling itself appeared partly torn with numerous holes that allowed the sunlight to peek inside. “Your guess is as good as mine.” He gestured to Odysseus to follow him outside since it appeared that the Proteas abandoned the base sometime before.

However, they soon noticed bloodstains on the wall and floor that spoke another story. They had no choice but to conclude that the Unversed or the Order found the base and slaughtered the Proteas that hid here. 

They reached the grassy fields of Wonderland to find smoke covered the sky. They could see the scars of battle covering the general area, but they didn’t know how far the damage continued. 

Odysseus shook his head. “What the hell happened.”

“You answered your own question.” 

They jumped, summoning their Keyblades only to find Kurai sitting on a nearby boulder. 

Kurai had discarded his Black Coat some time ago and instead wore a short, black robe with a Protea flower design stitched over his heart and onto his back. The robe was short, too, as it stopped at his thighs. Underneath the robe, he wore red tights and a pair of black boots. He also sported a new jagged scar that went across his right cheek. 

William lost his breath as he took a closer look at Kurai’s appearance. “You changed, master. Were we gone that long?”

“Unfortunately.” Kurai sighed. “The Unversed found the base, forcing the surviving Proteas to evacuate for Auradon so that they could help your comrades. We feared that it meant you’d never escape the Realm of Darkness, but I stuck around since I had faith that you’d return.” Kurai smiled as he extended his hand out, creating a Corridor of Darkness. He flicked his wrist to conjure a pair of red robes for them to wear to protect their hearts from the Darkness. “I wish you hadn’t kept me waiting this long.”

Odysseus gulped. “How long?”

Kurai frowned as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “One year.” He stepped into the portal, leaving it open so that they could cross too. 

“A year.” William shook his head. He took Odysseus’s hand as they took a second to comfort each other as they missed a great deal of time, but knew that they couldn’t waste another moment.

They entered the Corridor of Darkness and prepared themselves for whatever else that they might learn.


	14. Mark of the Damned

Kurai’s Corridor of Darkness opened in the middle of the clocktower’s living room. Odysseus stepped into the old base and was pleased to see that little changed. William shrugged it off as he hadn’t been here until now. 

Kurai took a seat on the couch, ignoring the beep of the computer’s scan. “Make yourselves comfortable,” said Kurai. “The others will show up soon enough.” Odysseus and William barely made it to the couch when they heard a pair of footsteps echoing.

Rushing out of the kitchen, Doron and Brendan appeared beaming with joy. The passage of a year didn’t affect them a bit more, mostly from fashion. They packed on a bit more muscle after their fights with the Unversed. 

A bit of flour-covered Doron’s face that made them focus on his hair as he grew out his soft, flaming curls. He wore a sheer shirt with blue and white flowers printed across his chest that contrasted against his dark pants. 

Meanwhile, Brendan kept everything short and neat even as his outfit showed more flare than before. Brendan wore a black vest over a loose, tan shirt that exposed part of his chest. His creamy pants hugged his hips and legs in quite a seductive manner.

“You took long enough returning.” Brendan crossed his arms but maintained his smile. “It’s good to see you back.”

“Hell yeah, it is!” said Doron. “I’ll give Troilus and Thomas a call. They went to the market to pick up some things. Hey! Where’s Luciano?”

William and Odysseus sighed. They started to explain what happened in the Realm of Darkness and how the Prime Darkness forced them out. Brendan and Doron didn’t interrupt as they found themselves too shocked from the story. The confirmation of what they feared that the Prime Darkness existed, which meant so did a Prime Light. Real gods. 

The clocktower’s elevator door slid open as Troilus and Thomas joined them. They left the groceries near on the floor as they rushed over to greet their friends and would soon hear their wild story too.

Amongst the group, Troilus packed the most muscle in the year. While still smaller than Odysseus, Troilus showed that he could keep up when necessary. And in his new outfit, those muscles got shown off more. Troilus wore a gladiator-inspired outfit with the leather straps covering only half his chest and leaving the other half exposed as he also wore a leather skirt and gauntlet with a pair of metal boots.

Troilus sat on a chair, his eyes glued to the wooden floor for a moment. “If you told me that story back at the Academy, then I would’ve laughed you over a cliff for coming up with such nonsense.” He shook his head. “However, I’ll believe anything now.

Thomas nodded as he discarded his white trenchcoat. He changed up his look a little more than the others as he buzzed off his braids but also dyed his hair crimson. It contrasted nicely against his navy tank-top. He ran his hands across his pants. “Well, your failure certainly makes me feel better that we haven’t found Ava’s Keyblade yet.”

“Seriously?” said William. “Did you even succeed in retrieving Aced and Invi’s Keyblade?”

“Yes,” said Troilus and Thomas.

Doron frowned as he curled into a ball on the couch. “Maybe it’s me? Maybe I’m the reason we haven’t found Ava’s Keyblade.”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Doron,” said Kurai. “Ava’s disappearance and final death differed from the others. At least you haven’t triggered the birth of a near-infinite horde of Unversed.”

William muttered an apology for Ahriman.

Brendan nodded. “Speaking of Ahriman. The Unversed have only gotten worse since you went away. We’ve done all that we could to keep their numbers low, but now there are more than what we could handle alone. The Proteas have left for the Kingdom of Corona to battle a horde, but we’ve also received a transmission that the Order is preparing to mobilize too.”

“No!” Kurai jumped from his seat. “Juan left! Why didn’t you notify me while I was gone?”

“You didn’t pick up your phone,” blurted Thomas.

Kurai uttered a curse as he went to the computer. He started his scan to track Juan and the Proteas to know how they faired against the horde of Unversed.

*~*

Across the stars, the Kingdom of Corona burned. The forest turned into a warzone as the Proteas attempted to prevent the Unversed from advancing upon the castle. The Unversed far outnumbered the Proteas as their numbers dropped to three-dozen with a few more soon joining their fallen comrades. However, the Proteas would do all that they could to deny Ahriman’s puppets of more pawns as they would kill themselves before the corruption could take effect. 

Crimson blood softened the earth and tainted the field of flowers. 

Eva blocked an Unversed before it could stab Kev. She kicked the Unversed before slashing at another with Three Wishes. She did all that she could to keep her guard while saving as many of their comrades as she could. They couldn’t afford to lose anyone else as the number of Unversed continued to grow.

A barrage of Chaos Rippers descended from the sky as the Unversed attempted to slaughter the Proteas with a single blow.

However, Juan and another of the Protea’s leaders would conjure a golden barrier to absorb the damage. The Chaos Rippers returned to the Unversed’s hands since the assault failed, but they wouldn’t relent.

Juan took a deep breath as he ignored the exhaustion. Their factions fought for an hour now, but they still found no end in sight. Juan couldn’t see the Proteas lasting much longer if they didn’t receive any help. 

Juan considered summoning the others, but he didn’t want to risk distracting them from their mission to recover Ava’s Keyblade. They needed to focus their efforts on the Foretellers’ Keyblades, while Juan needed to do all that he could to hold the line. Juan would curse himself for sending Odysseus and William to the Realm of Darkness when he did as it did nothing to save Luciano, and it left him worried that his hastiness is what is keeping them from finding Ava’s Keyblade.

“Kill the flowers!” sang the Unversed. “Pluck every petal!”

“Master!” shouted Eva.

Juan nodded as he raised Sleeping Lion. “Proteas! Gamma formation!”

The Proteas raised their Keyblades with a wall of fire arising. The heat took the air out of them, but the magic that they conjured coalesced as a massive Flare spell. The Flare rippled across the sky, incinerating many of the Unversed with a single blast.

Their victory proved short-lived as many more survived. And above them, a rift opened that left both factions to pause. A group of Keyblade Wielders emerged from the rift, dressed in armor that bore the heart-shaped insignia of the Order.

“Not them!” said Juan.

A Wielder in lavender armor took the lead and pointed the Divine Rose Keyblade at them. The helmet retracted to reveal Layla, who bore a crazed grin. “Eliminate all our enemies!” shouted Layla. “Show no quarter to the Unversed or the Proteas!”

“Yes, Master!” said the Order Wielders. 

Juan turned to the Proteas. “Master Layla’s made her position clear. No mercy for the Order!”

The Proteas agreed to give it their all, while the Unversed would laugh as they reveled in the coming chaos of war.

*~*

Deep within the Realm of Darkness, Luciano shook his head as the Prime Darkness forced Odysseus and William back to the Realm of Light only a second ago. However, the difference in time between realms left Luciano unsure how long he was gone or to what time they returned. 

Luciano clenched his fist. “You’ve kept me waiting long enough! I don’t care if you’re a god! Speak your mind and let me go, or else!”

The Prime Darkness smirked. The amber-eyes of Xehanort showed the delight that the Prime Darkness found in Luciano’s defiance. “You are in no position to fight me, Supria. After all, it is I that you owe your life too.” The Prime Darkness extended his hand, sparks of dark energy gathered as he conjured the Combined Keyblade. He tossed the Keyblade to Luciano. “Here. Try and strike me.”

The weight of the Keyblade felt marvelous in Luciano’s hand. He spent so long without his Keyblade that he felt almost lost without it but now felt stronger. However, he didn’t raise his Keyblade against the Prime Darkness. Instead, Luciano would glare at the Prime Darkness.

“What is the point of you bringing me here?” asked Luciano. “I doubt you went through the trouble just to have me lose a fight against you. That seems like the waste of a god’s time. Unless you hold a grudge against Supria.”

“No, I have no qualms with you.” The Prime Darkness stroked his chin. “You are as clever as ever. It is wise that we don’t waste any more time with nonsense.”

The Prime Darkness approached the ocean, allowing the water to splash across his feet. “Ometechu will rise soon. And you must be ready to defeat him once more.”

Luciano felt his heart grow heavy at the mention of Ometehu. Although he never heard that name before, he couldn’t help but feel the connection. “Ometechu? Who is that, and why does that concern me?”

“It is the true name of what you would call the Prime Light,” said the Prime Darkness. “My opposite and divine partner. The other-half of Kingdom Hearts.” A smile crossed its lips as it turned towards Luciano. “Your other parent.”

Luciano’s eyes widened. It sounded shocking, but he should’ve known better by now. Supria and his siblings were ancient; it only made sense that they shared a connection to the Primes. But to learn that Supria and his siblings were the children of the Primes. 

“Difficult to process, I’m sure,” said the Prime Darkness, “but we don’t have time for you to work around your trauma. Ometechu and I would create Supria and his siblings. They lived and grew in a world of paradise that would fall to war when Ometechu and I struggled for ownership of Kingdom Hearts. It wasn’t our finest moments, but it proved devastating. Ometechu almost seized Kingdom Hearts, but our children rallied against him.”

“The war ended when Supria imprisoned Ometechu and trapped him in a deep slumber. However, to seal Ometechu, it would require sacrifices from his siblings. Their deaths would wound him deeply. And I couldn’t do much to help as the war left me deeply wounded. So Supria would spend his life seeking for a way to bring them back to life. But he could never be with them, not as they once were, so reincarnation was his only answer.” 

The Prime Darkness gestured for Luciano to follow him onto the water. Through his power, the Prime Darkness allowed Luciano to walk over the sea as they approached the bright moon that hung over them. “Should Ometechu rise, then the Realm of Light is done. Ometechu shall devour all life to recreate the universe in an image that he deems perfect. That is where you and your companions come in, Luciano.”

Luciano shook his head. “How? If Supria and his siblings couldn’t succeed.”

“But you have something they didn’t.” The Prime Darkness pointed to Luciano’s heart. “The one you know as Xehanort, his actions would set into motion Ometechu’s return. In recreating the X-blade, he left a scar in reality that restored Ometechu’s consciousness and would allow him to seek puppets to distort balance in favor of Light. But you can push the balance towards Darkness to put Ometechu back to sleep.” 

“Inside your heart are the Seven Shards of Light, drawn from the pure heart of the boy Ventus. The boy that I once used as a pawn in the Age of Fairy Tales. And with Supria’s heart, you have access to his Darkness and great power. These connections will allow you to wield the X-blade, which you must use against Ometechu.”

Luciano’s jaw dropped. He blinked at the thought of wielding the X-blade, the original Keyblade that Supria crafted all other Keyblades. “But...that is impossible. The original is gone, and the one that Master Xehanort created was destroyed after Master Sora used it to seal Kingdom Hearts.” 

The Prime Darkness smirked. “What makes you think it was destroyed?”

“Because it was!” said Luciano. “There are no records of it existing beyond that moment.”

“Records only carry half-truths.” The Prime Darkness flicked his wrist. From the moon, they saw an image of an older Sora with the X-blade. The intersecting, Kingdom Keys glistened with a large blade and a set of shimmering crystals growing from its sides. They watched as Sora left the X-blade in an undetermined space. “They thought the X-blade was destroyed and recorded it as such, but Sora would learn that it only disappeared and found it years later. He had this X-blade sealed away so that it would never fall into the wrong hands.”

“That is why you must find it, Luciano. Your hands are the only ones capable of using the X-blade to its full potential. The fate of the realms depends on you.”

*~*

The search for the Proteas’ status and Ava’s Keyblade continued, while Odysseus and William left to clean themselves. The scorching, hot water helped to clear their heads and relax as the numerous troubled thoughts over the realm plagued them. After showering, they even took the time to get new clothes.

Odysseus would change into a tight, red-hooded pullover that had its sleeves removed. The pullover bore a golden star on his chest, and the lambda stitched onto his back. He wore it with a pair of dark blue tights, red boots, and silver gauntlets and greaves. Meanwhile, William changed into a black bodysuit that bore red claw marking across his chest with a pair of combat boots and gauntlets for protection. He tossed over the bodysuit a tattered, brown jacket to make it more fashionable. 

As they cleaned up and changed their looks, they returned to the others. Doron finished making some pancakes, which they happily devoured, while Kurai focused on the monitor.

Kurai managed to activate drone footage from an orbiting Protea Gummi Ship. His face practically melted from the frown that appeared. Luckily, the footage didn’t come with audio, but the visual proved brutal enough.

It distracted everyone from eating as they instead focused on the footage.

They expected to see the Proteas fighting the Unversed. However, they soon found the Proteas facing off against the Order, too, with Layla leading the charge. The Proteas fought a losing battle as it became increasingly apparent that they would fall. Juan, Eva, and the others would surely die without some intervention.

“We have to help them,” said Troilus. “We can’t leave them to die!”

Odysseus nodded. “They helped us. It’s about time we returned the favor.”

They agreed to rush to the Kingdom of Corona when the monitor began to raise its alarm. The visual of the battle got replaced with a star map. A blinking signal came in that narrowed a precise location onto the Radiant Garden. And, unlike the other times, the map zeroed in on a particular section of the world. One that they knew housed the Cavern of Remembrance. 

Doron almost had tears as instead of feeling joy. He knew only rage. “Of course, Ava’s Keyblade would choose now for us to find it. Where was it months ago! Now, my homeworld will burn, and all our friends are going to die so that we can retrieve that stupid piece of metal!” Thomas attempted to comfort Doron only to have Doron brush his hands aside. Doron shook his head. “I’ll go after it.”

“We all should,” said Thomas. “The trials to attain these Keyblades haven’t been easy, not even in the slightest. If Ava’s Keyblade chose now to manifest, this trial might be the hardest yet. We shouldn’t take any risks.”

“He has a point,” said Brendan. “We should work as a team for this mission. Powerful Heartless and Nobodies are known to roam those caverns.”

“But the Proteas,” countered Doron.

Kurai nodded. “I’ll help them. I can do more good for them than you, kids, could.” He turned to William and smirked. “Even you. You’re too much trouble. It’s probably for the best if you go to Radiant Garden with them.”

William wanted to argue, but they didn’t have the luxury of a fight. He’d rather spill the Unversed’s blood and laugh as they died, but retrieving Ava’s Keyblade took precedence. And since they filled him in on their painful adventures, he knew that they would need him. “I’ll go. And we’ll take care of this in record time.” William playfully punched Kurai’s arm. “We’ll join you when we’re done. Save me a dozen Unversed.”

“I will.” Kurai summoned a Corridor of Darkness that would take him directly to the Kingdom of Corona. “Be careful, boys. There is no telling what might lurk in the cavern.”

Kurai stepped into the portal as they too wished him luck as the dangers of the Unversed, and the Order proved as much of an obstacle as their mission.

*~*

Surprisingly, they didn’t find it terribly difficult to sneak across Radiant Garden. 

The Order left only a minimal security presence there for the castle, but even then, it didn’t compare to what it had a year ago. Thomas did a scan of the area to sense only a dozen Order Wielders, which they could easily defeat if it came to it. Instead, they decided to keep to the shadows so as not to risk the possibility that Layla would redirect her forces from the Kingdom of Corona to ambush them here.

Doron took advantage of his stealthy skills to help them slip around the castle to reach the postern where they would find the cavern’s entrance. Long ago, the entrance got sealed off with a powerful seal so that no resident accidentally entered into the dark depths.

A golden sigil blocked their entrance to the cavern. William stepped forward to blast it with Gazing Eye, shattering the sigil to clear their path forward. They finished the easy part of their quest and now would find nothing but trouble in the cavern.

Darkness greeted them as the only light source came from the crystal that grew along the walls. The rocky walls and water that seeps into the aquifer brought a brutal chill. Even Thomas wished he dressed a little warmer. 

“Brutal,” whispered Brendan as he walked closer to Troilus for warmth. “This would be the perfect time for something to ambush us.”

Odysseus nodded. He summoned Ira’s Keyblade to ready himself for battle. “Odd. I don’t sense any Heartless or Nobodies in the area.” 

“Yeah, that’s the point of an ambush,” said Thomas. “They wouldn’t make it easy to sense them.”

“Maybe,” said William as he summoned Gazing Eye once more. “Or maybe something else is at work here.”

Troilus squinted his eyes. “Like the Twilight Thorn or Kraken that manifested during our trials? Those would be a greater threat.”

“As long as we’re not tricking gods or having our most traumatizing moments haunting us, then I’m happy,” said Doron.

They ventured deeper into the caverns, making sure not to get separated or falling for any traps as they jumped over a set of pillars and avoided some strange vents when they finally reached a white door that stood out as something out of the ordinary. 

William gently shoved Doron towards the door. “Your trial. You go first.”

“Asshole,” whispered Doron. “I can’t believe I was worried about you.” Doron took a deep breath. Indeed, he needed to pass whatever trial awaited them. He was the only thing holding them back now, and he wouldn’t let him down, not when they were so close.

Pushing the doors open, a blinding light soon washed over them. 

The documentation they had for the Cavern of Remembrance proved pointless as the cavern distorted itself. The door opened something other than the route recorded in the books; the door dragged them into a vast void where they saw nothing but a mixture of shifting white and gray panels. They floated into this peculiar space that seemed to go on forever. 

Brendan gulped. “Opening the door was a mistake.”

“You think!” shouted Odysseus.

They attempted to move onward, but the space had no end in sight. They found themselves clueless if they even were moving in the right direction.

Doron’s heart thumped hard. He opened the door, and now they were trapped here. But they were supposed to open the door. There wasn’t anything else in the cavern that made sense for them to cross. So, did he do something wrong? Was he supposed to use his Keyblade to open the door? Or was there something wrong with him? Is that why the trial wasn’t going the way it did for the others?

These questions tormented Doron, but the voices in his head would soon find other voices. Suddenly, the shifting void only got louder. A multitude of voices echoed across the void that they all heard and tried to understand. 

“At least smile a little!” “Master, did you make this! It’s so cute!” “Isn’t it our duty as Keyblade Wielders to prevent this war from taking place?” “Who is the traitor!” “One of us wasn’t meant to be a Union leader.” “What happened to my sister!” “We must escape!” “This world is just too small.” “So, you know the Lost Masters?” “You would risk an apocalypse out of sheer curiosity!” “Well, guess what? I’m not fighting!” “The heart may be weak and sometimes given in.” “As if.” “Gather your Seven Guardians of Light.” “So, you too walk the forbidden path.”

Countless more voices echoed across the void. It left them all confused as they tried to understand the origins but instead came to the conclusion that the voices came from the cavern. The void likely served as an extension of countless people’s memories as it pulled their voices across the ages as they heard words that spanned across history.

Before they could attempt to solve the mysteries of this void, green flashes of zeros and ones manifested in the void. They blinked as five figures joined them, all wielding a Keyblade. They gasped when they saw one wearing a Black Coat, and the other four wore an animal mask: a unicorn, a bear, a snake, and a leopard. The Keyblades in these figures’ hands resembled the ones that they too wielded. 

“Not good.” William raised Gazing Eye only for the Black Coat to raise his Gazing Eye too. “Luxu and the Foretellers. They’re all here.” Luxu charged after William with the others following his example. William blocked Luxu’s attack with sparks of dark energy scattered across the void.

The same sparks flashed everywhere while they met their others.

“Is this our trial, too?” asked Brendan as he pressed Gula back.

“But Ava isn’t here!” Thomas struggled to withstand the heavy blow that Aced inflicted upon him.

Troilus blocked a blast of icy magic from Invi. “I’m getting confused, and pissed off!”

Odysseus avoided Ira’s attack before taking a swing at Ira. “You and me both. Let’s just kill our past selves and move onto something else.”

They dueled their past selves, doing all that they could to eliminate the threat. However, these copies of their past selves proved too strong and wouldn’t fall easily.

Doron watched the fights. He found himself lost as he couldn’t understand why they had to fight. This trial was on him, not them. They already acquired their Keyblades. He was the one that needed to complete this trial, but their pasts dragged them down with him.

Doron shook his head. He grew tired of the conflict. He hated seeing the others fight for his trial. He didn’t want to see them suffer for his weaknesses. 

“This is on me!” Doron summoned Missing Ache but decided not to attack. Instead, he tossed his Keyblade into the void. “Leave them out of this stupid trial. And give me the power that we need to stop the Unversed and this stupid Keyblade War! I’m tired of seeing everyone suffering! It is getting us nowhere!”

The copies of Luxu and the Foretellers faded into a bunch of zeros and ones. The void distorted itself as everything vanished into zeros and ones. 

Eventually, their surroundings changed as they heard the rushing sound of a waterfall, and they found themselves standing upon a silver platform. They looked to find the castle in the distance but knew that this area was invisible. What they did find was a massive computer with an antenna on top at the center of the platform.

Doron approached the computer when another bunch of zeros and ones manifested. The data coalesced to form a girl in a pink and white cloak with a fox mask covering her face. 

“Master Ava,” said Doron. “Or, at least, her data copy.”

The Data Ava smiled. She flicked her wrist with her Keyblade manifesting. Her Keyblade was a beautiful mixture of pastel yellows, oranges, golds, and teals with the blade shaping itself like a cloud or a wave. The base included the face of a teal-eyed fox with the gazing eye dangling as a Keychain, while at the Keyblade’s teeth was a split cloud that had the master’s symbol at the center.

The Data Ava handed the Keyblade to Doron. “For seeing your desires. But not letting it affect others. Sacrificing yourself above all else. Those are the seeds for the future.”

Doron squinted his eyes as he graciously accepted Ava’s Keyblade. “That doesn’t make sense. Is your coding that messed up?”

“It’ll make sense, eventually.” Data Ava looked to all of them then shook her head. “Missing One. Need to find the other. The Seven can restore balance.”

“Luciano,” whispered Odysseus. 

Data Ava began to disappear in a flash of zeros and ones. The computer’s screen went dark as it appeared to power down. 

Doron squeezed onto the handle of Ava’s Keyblade. The joy he expected to feel in attaining the Keyblade wasn’t there as he instead knew only worry. “We still need to deal with the Unversed and the Order. And we still need Luciano.”

“You’re right.” William patted Doron’s back. “But first, good job at getting us out of that void. Those data copies know how to throw a punch.” 

Doron smirked as he couldn’t recall the last time he ever heard William give someone else a non-sexual compliment.

Thomas stared at his Gummi Phone. He followed the signal for the Kingdom of Corona only to find it went dark. “We might have to call the party short. The Protea signal isn’t at the kingdom anymore.”

“What does that mean?” asked Brendan.

“Are they dead?” asked Troilus. “Or did they escape?”

Thomas shrugged. “Give me a second. Let me see what I can find.”

However, anything that Thomas would find wouldn’t be good news. Chaos reigned over the Kingdom of Corona.

*~*

The forest and neighboring meadow burned as the Proteas, the Order, and the Unversed continued their battle. Magic rippled across the air, smoke-filled their lungs, and trees fell to clear more space to fight. The Proteas started to lose their defensive position while the Order and Unversed only advanced further. 

Juan lost count of his comrades as he counted around a dozen Proteas left alive. Most fell to battle, but a handful became Unversed and turned against the survivors. Juan didn’t know how to turn the tide. He thought of retreating but couldn’t do so until they did something about Layla. She wouldn’t allow them to get far.

Luckily, Juan noticed Layla squaring off against a dozen Unversed. Juan swiftly slit the throat of an Unversed before using his earthly magic to change the field. He raised Sleeping Lion with it radiating in an azure aura as the ground beneath Layla and the Unversed started to rise to almost fifty meters high. 

The height would keep Layla away until either reversed Juan’s spell or could safely descend from the earthly pillar. 

It wouldn’t turn the tide of the battle, but it would provide some help.

Juan returned his focus to the battle as a pair Unversed attempted to surprise him with a sneak attack from behind. He twisted his foot as he took a swing only to spot the pair become consumed in dark fire. 

“Impressive trick.” Kurai stepped from the flames as the Unversed burned to ash. “You left Layla busy. What’s the plan now?”

Juan slashed a nearby Unversed across the chest while catching a glimpse of an Order Wielder stabbing one of the Proteas. “Abandon the kingdom. Leave the Order to finish the Unversed or die trying.” Juan turned to Kurai. “If you’re here, then does that mean they’re back?”

“Only Odysseus and William,” said Kurai. “They found Luciano, but the God of the Realm of Darkness wouldn’t allow Luciano to leave yet. Not until he learned what he needed to know.”

“God,” whispered Juan. “So, our theories are true. There exists a God of Darkness, which must mean a God of Light exists too.”

Kurai nodded. “We’ll discuss it later. First, we leave this place. Then, we see if they’ve retrieved Ava’s Keyblade from Radiant Garden.”

Juan smirked. They finally started to hear some good news, even if at an awful moment like this one. “I’ll light the signal.” He shot a flare into the air that the Proteas knew to take as a sign to evacuate.

However, the damage proved too great. Eva fended off an Unversed and Order Wielder’s attack when she saw the flare. She turned to find most of her companions dead. She spotted three Proteas nearby who appeared equally as disheartened at the prospects of evacuating. 

The Proteas attempted to flee. Some managed to open portals that would transport them to their Gummi Ships, but most would die in their attempt to escape. 

Eva would soon join the fallen. 

Eva spotted a group of Order Wielders coming after her companions. She quickly calculated the risks to realize that her comrades would need a distraction if they stood any chance at escaping. She took a deep breath and decided to become that distraction.

She rushed across the meadow and swung Three Wishes. She conjured a Magnet Spiral, manifesting red and blue orbs that pulled the Order Wielders closer to her. She would slash Three Wishes after them, and trading blows for as long as she could so that the other Proteas had a chance to escape. 

The Proteas held their tears as they created their portals to flee the world. 

Meanwhile, Eva’s spell faded, which left her surrounded. She would smile as she accepted the outcome. She slashed at an Order Wielder to repel his advances but left her back exposed to another. The other Wielder stabbed her in the back, ripping vital organs. 

Eva gasped as her Keyblade disappeared while blood poured from the wound. She collapsed to the ground with her vision blurring until she took her final breath.

Juan disarmed an Order Wielder when he caught a glimpse of Eva’s fate. Tears poured from his eyes, and his heart sank. “Eva,” he whispered.

An explosion erupted from the pillar. Everyone watched as the pillar began to crumble, causing a barrage of rubble to spread across the meadow and nearby forest. They started to clear out of the immediate area with Juan holding Kurai’s hand as they tried to apply some distance.

A boulder crashed in front of Juan and Kurai, nearly squashing them. It forced them to stop and assess what happened. A handful of Unversed and Order Wielders got crushed in the debris but most escaped unscratched. And the chaos allowed the few Proteas still alive to escape, which warmed Juan’s heart. 

However, they still had another problem. 

Layla descended from the collapsed pillar with a wicked glare. She raised Divine Rose and licked her lips. “There is no escaping this time, Juan. This is the end of the line for traitors like you.”

Juan swung at the air as he held Sleeping Lion with both hands. “Even if this is the end for me, Layla, there isn’t the end for those who’d resist you. Your fanaticism will be your downfall.”

Layla chuckled. “You’re mistaken. I will never fall. Not when I have God on my side!”

Juan and Kurai gasped at the meaning of Layla’s words. They knew she would never align herself with the Prime Darkness. So, they knew she must’ve meant the Prime Light. They didn’t know what to expect of this news, but Layla confirmed herself as a far greater threat than they anticipated initially. 

And, as promised, Layla would show no mercy. She raised Divine Rose and slashed the air with a crimson band of energy that would burn across the meadow. The blast would’ve surely killed them if a dark band of energy didn’t intercept the attack.

Juan and Kurai expected to spot the Unversed only to see someone else intervene on their behalf. Someone they never expected to see alive. Stepping from the shadows came Virgil, who struck the ground with Fenrir and gave a cocky grin.

“Missed me?” Virgil started to move again, but not with the strength that they came to expect. He acquired a limp since his disappearance, which they assumed was from the fatal injury that Ahriman inflicted upon him.

Layla hissed as her gaze fell to Virgil. Her eyes darkened while she squeezed the handle of Divine Rose. “You! You still live!”

“How?” said Juan. “Didn’t Ahriman kill you?”

Virgil swung Fenrir towards Layla. “Sheer determination. And, Ahriman was too stupid to check for a pulse.” He rushed after Layla and started a duel between them. Even with his injuries, he did all that he could to maintain Layla’s focus on him instead of Juan and Kurai. “I’ve suffered too many humiliations. But I won’t allow these Unversed to get away with everything I worked so hard to build. Juan, go now! And make sure you end these abominations!”

Juan didn’t understand why Virgil would choose now to reveal himself or why he’d fight to allow Juan and Kurai to escape. However, Juan didn’t have the luxury of questioning Virgil’s generosity. Not when Juan stood a chance at reuniting with Luciano soon. Juan glanced at Kurai. “Kurai, we needー”

“Don’t even ask.” Kurai flicked his wrist to summon a Corridor of Darkness. He grabbed onto Juan’s hand and pulled him into the Darkness. They vanished from sight, leaving Virgil alone with Layla.

Layla glanced at the closing Corridor of Darkness before returning her gaze onto Virgil. “You know I’ll kill them eventually. All you did is give them false hope.”

Virgil smirked. “Not unless I take you down. All I have left is my hate for you.”

“You’re too weak to threaten anyone.” Layla dropped the illusion that they had equal strength. She shoved Virgil and dragged Divine Rose across Fenrir to slash Virgil’s hand. She forced him to drop Fenrir, which left him exposed. 

Layla plunged her Keyblade into his chest, forcing him to fall to his knees as his blood and guts poured onto the field. “Now, you have nothing, Virgil.”

“Is that what you think?” Virgil laughed even as he would soon meet death. He pulled his torn shirt up to reveal a rune burned onto his flesh. His skin began to glow red while Layla took the second to recognize the meaning of the rune. “You know what this means. Tick. Tok. Layla.”

“Bastard. You can’t even die with honor.” Layla fully reactivated her Keyblade Armor. She didn’t bother with sending out a signal to call her comrades to retreat. She instead opened a portal to the Oceans Between that she escaped into before it was too late.

Virgil continued to laugh as fire covered his body. He fell to his madness with the rune reaching its full power. In a second, a massive explosion erupted that spread across the meadow and left only ash in its wake as the remaining Unversed and Order Wielders lost their lives too.

*~*

Luciano stared at the bright moon that floated above. He clenched onto the handle of the Combined Keyblade with his conversation with the Prime Darkness echoing in his mind. The impending crisis of Ometechu’s return and the dangers that his friends and father faced proved too great to overlook. He needed to take drastic action.

Luciano turned to the Prime Darkness. “So, all I need to do is find the X-blade and stop Ometechu from rising. What if I can’t find the X-blade before he rises?”

“Then, pray you find it soon,” warned the Prime Darkness. “It’ll take some time before Ometechu regains his full strength. But if he regains all his power, then even with the X-blade, it might not be possible for you to defeat him. You must smite him while he is still vulnerable.”

Luciano nodded. “Alright. I guess that means I better leave before I lose any more time.” He scratched his head. “Um...how do I get back to the Realm of Light?”

The Prime Darkness chuckled. “Think of home, then use the Keyblade to cut your path across dimensions.”

“Right.” Luciano closed his eyes and tried to picture home. He could return to Santa Cecilia then work to find his friends from there, but he didn’t know if his homeworld still existed. He would need to think of something else.

So, Luciano instead thought of his companions. He knew they would likely be together, and he needed to reunite with them in the first place. He decided to focus on them. He thought of how Brendan frustrated him. He thought of the numerous times he had to interrupt Thomas’s naps. He thought of all the times that Doron made him laugh. He thought of how they would keep Troilus from rushing headfirst into a fight. And he thought of the love he felt whenever Odysseus and William were around him.

Taking a deep breath, Luciano prepared to create his portal when a mighty yell echoed across the Dark Margin.

A Darkside landed on the beach, causing the ground to shake. Luciano and the Prime Darkness watched as the Darkside faded to nothing while its attacker remained standing. Dark energy flashed across the beach as Ahriman returned with a crazed look in his eyes.

Ahriman licked his lips. “You won’t get away, pretty light. No more distractions.”

The Prime Darkness glared at Ahriman. He huffed as he looked at Luciano. “You’ll need to take him home with you. There is no place for that abomination in my domain.” 

“No way!” Luciano shouted. “He can rot here for eternity as far as I care.”

“He cannot.” The Prime Darkness extended his index finger at Ahriman, unleashing a wave of energy that blasted Ahriman to the stand. “He doesn’t belong here. He belongs with Lagna.” Luciano squinted his eyes when he recalled that Lagna referred to William. “Those two must reunite. That way Lagna can recall his full strength.”

Luciano growled. “Fine. I’ll take Ahriman back with me.”

Before the Prime Darkness could thank Luciano, Ahriman went after them once more. Ahriman launched himself across the beach and swung Chaos Ripper to strike the Prime Darkness.

“So much Darkness!” laughed Ahriman. “You are perfect for me! With you, I can avenge my fallen spawn and kill the pretender!”

Ahriman brought Chaos Ripper to the Prime Darkness’s head. The blow would’ve connected to kill a mortal, but nothing about the Prime Darkness was mortal. 

The Prime Darkness didn’t even blink. He stared at Ahriman while Chaos Ripper hung only a millimeter from his face. “You think I am some ordinary Darkness, creature?” The Prime Darkness huffed as he used his power to dismiss Chaos Ripper from Ahriman’s hand. Ahriman gasped as he fell to the water with the saltwater entering his mouth. “You are incapable of devouring one such as I. You are unworthy of even being in my presence. Now, Luciano. Deal with this creature.” 

Luciano nodded. While he needed to transport Ahriman to the Realm of Light, he had no intention of bringing Ahriman anywhere near his companions. Instead, he pictured a remote land where it would take Ahriman to find anyone.

With the swing of the Combined Keyblade, a slash of Light and Darkness manifested. The slash tore a hole into reality that unveiled an image of a desert-looking world where broken Keyblades littered the ground. The Keyblade Graveyard would serve as the perfect prison for Ahriman until they could properly deal with him.

The gravitational pull of the rift started to latch onto Ahriman. He struggled across the restraints and howled as he refused to be so easily defeated. “This isn’t the end of me, pretty light! I will find you and your friends!”

Luciano nodded. “I know you will. But you’re tomorrow’s problem now.”

Ahriman cursed Luciano as the rift swallowed him and sealed itself shut.

“Good work,” said the Prime Darkness. “Now, it’s time for you to leave too.”

“I know.” Luciano swung the Combined Keyblade once more but focused on his feelings and emotions surrounding his loved ones. A rift opened but showed the image of a castle that knew all too well. “No! I was focusing on them.”

Before Luciano attempted to close the rift, the Prime Darkness placed a hand on Luciano’s shoulder. “They are there. Go to them. Fulfill your role, Supria.”

Luciano nodded. He walked into the portal and braced himself for whatever the Land of Departure might have in store.


	15. Mark of Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, y'all! We're approaching the final five chapters. I'll probably have another chapter posted sometime this weekend. And, I'm in the middle of moving to a new place so I'm not sure how these next few chapters will come out. I'm hoping to stick with a twice a week update, but I might go back to once a week. We'll see.
> 
> Also, sex scene in this chapter! :)

After gathering data on the massacre at the Kingdom of Corona, they decided to regroup from Radiant Garden. Returning to Auradon wasn’t an option as they feared that the Order or Unversed may have learned of the base. Instead, Thomas knew where they could go to lay low until they found out their next move.

A portal opened outside of a shotgun house in the Big Easy. The house appeared almost neon-colored in the sunlight from the green paneling, blue door, and blue shutters. Before they could embrace the colorful nature of their new surroundings, the humidity of the city greeted them. They started to sweat hard, except for Thomas, who adjusted to the city long ago. Thomas summoned Aced’s Keyblade to unlock the door since he no longer had the keys. He explained that this house used to belong to his grandparents.

“My parents used it as a rental property,” said Thomas, “but they haven’t had any tenants for a while now. We can stay here for the night.” He opened the front door where they found only a minimal amount of furniture that contrasted against the white walls and old, Southern accent pieces. They saw the living room and kitchen first. They would recall that they would need to get groceries too. “There are three bedrooms. So, bunk up with your boyfriend. And try not to destroy the bathrooms. I’m not paying for a maid.”

Doron raised his eyebrows. “I like it when you get bossy, babe.” 

They wandered through the narrow hallway, with Thomas assigning rooms as he gave a tour. Once they settled in, they crowded the living room to discuss their next move.

William flicked his wrist to summon Gazing Eye. The blue eye glowed for a moment, prompting William to nod. “Kurai sent a message,” he said, feeling the trail of magic. “He’s staying with Juan for now. The Proteas are gone.” A frown crossed his face. “Eva died during the assault.”

Silence filled the room. They gave a prayer for Eva, which reminded them of how dangerous of situation that they found themselves in now.

“How many Proteas are left?” asked Brendan.

“Not even a dozen,” said William. “If the Unversed and Order didn’t kill them, then they bled out from the injuries.” 

Troilus shook his head. “So, many good people died. And we’re still no closer to finding Luciano or defeating the Unversed.”

“But we have the Foretellers’ Keyblades now.” Odysseus sprang up from the couch, clenching his fists. “We can avenge the fallen. And we can finally make our move against Layla with Juan and Kurai. Then, we can crush the Unversed.”

William bit his lip. “There is no stopping the Unversed until we get to Ahriman. And, he’s somewhere in the Realm of Darkness.”

“Should we go after Luciano first, then?” asked Thomas. 

“That’s too big of a gamble,” countered Brendan. “If we all disappear, then we risk the Unversed doing more damage. William and Odysseus vanished for a year. Who knows if the same will happen to us.”

Odysseus nodded. “Then, we know what we have to do first. The Unversed have already assimilated the Harlequins and killed the Proteas. They’ll want to go after the Order next. We’ll need to fight Layla and the Unversed anyway, so we might as well go to the Land of Departure.”

Doron chuckled at the thought of going back to the Academy. “Not a bad idea. If we’re going to pull it off, then we need to act quickly. The Order is vulnerable after that last fight.”

“Tomorrow.” William crossed his arms as he looked at everyone else. “How does that sound?”

Everyone agreed that it was for the best idea. They would rest for tonight, then make their move against the Order.

*~*

Virgil’s suicide attack proved more damaging then Layla could anticipate. Layla returned to the Land of Departure with minor injuries. She would shrug it off as she started to make her way back into her office. 

A dark-haired woman approached her from the castle. “Master Layla! What happened to the others? We lost their signals.”

Layla took a deep breath. Her mind buzzed as she crafted her story to mask the fact that she didn’t call for an evacuation. “The traitors killed them in a suicide attack. I barely managed to escape.” She groaned, pretending that her ribs suffered an injury too. “We need to make preparations. The Unversed army will come here next.”

“I’ll raise the alarm, master,” said the woman. “Do you wish for me to call someone to attend to your injuries?”

“I am fine. Focus on the others.” Layla wandered into the castle. A few warriors and students noticed her presence. They appeared stunned to see her injured state, but she maintained her composure, as she assured them of their coming victories.

Meanwhile, a strange light would come from the windows and take a humanoid shape. It appeared invisible to everyone in the castle, but Layla would sense its presence. However, her madness kept her from questioning it, as she surrendered to a divine will: that of the Prime Light, Ometechu.

Ometechu walked beside Layla as they returned to her office. “ _Continue forward, Layla. You must eliminate the traitors if there is ever to be peace._ ”

“Yes.” Layla nodded. “I must rid the world of the traitors.”

Ometechu smiled. His time to ascend would come soon. And nothing would stop him.

*~*

The quiet night at the house had a mild interruption in Thomas and Doron’s bedroom. They bumped into the end table while they removed the last of each other’s clothes and made out. They chuckled while stepping away from the end table and paused for a second to listen. Nobody came knocking at their door, so they took it as their signal that they could continue without interruption.

Doron pushed Thomas onto the bed before climbing onto his lap. He leaned to Thomas and licked his earlobe. “Are the walls soundproof?”

Thomas grabbed onto Doron’s waist. His erection rubbing against the crack of Doron’s ass, while Doron’s dick rubbed between them. “No, but I don’t think the others will mind. They’re probably doing the same thing we are.”

“Good point.” Doron spun around so that they could sixty-nine. “Keep quiet, Papa Bear.”

A chuckle escaped Thomas as he got to work on teasing Doron’s ass. Doron moaned when Thomas’s tongue touched his hole. Doron shivered before leaning forward to take Thomas’s dick into his mouth. They licked and suck, bringing each other pleasure that would help them forget everything beyond these four walls. 

Doron kept a hand wrapped around the base of Thomas’s dick while sucking on the rest. His other hand would move to lightly squeeze Thomas’s balls since he knew how much Thomas enjoyed the teasing. 

Thomas moaned. The stubble of his shaved beard tickling the delicate skin around Doron’s ass. Doron whimpered as he started to deep-throat Thomas. The mix of Thomas’s natural musk mixed with the fresh, clean scent from the shower drove Doron wild. Doron grabbed onto Thomas’s thighs when he felt Thomas reach between them to tease the head of his dick. It took Doron a great deal of self-control to keep himself from cumming from such contact.

“Cheating,” Doron groaned around Thomas’s dick. Thomas’s chuckle vibrated against the skin, sending more shivers down Doron’s spine. Doron pulled back as he spun around to face Thomas again. Their lips met in a hungry kiss with them rubbing their erections against each other, while the saliva coating Doron’s hole made it twitch.

Doron wrapped his arms around Thomas’s neck. “Wall.” 

Thomas nodded. He grabbed onto Doron’s waist and rolled onto his feet. He easily carried Doron and pinned him against the wall. Doron moaned as the tip of Thomas’s penis began to push against his hole. Doron sank his nails into Thomas’s back as more inches penetrated him.

“Fuck, yes,” whispered Doron.

Thomas moaned as he felt Doron’s muscles squeezed at his dick. Thomas licked his lips before sinking his teeth into Doron’s shoulder. Doron’s eyes rolled back from the mix of pleasure and pain. Doron surrendered to Thomas and his impressive upper body strength, as he moaned from every thrust. Thomas would lower Doron onto the base of his dick before pulling him up a little and repeated the process.

They stayed in this position for a while until Thomas’s arms started to give out. He carried Doron onto the bed to make Doron ride him. Doron had no problem with that as he bounced on Thomas’s dick while using the freedom to squeeze onto Thomas’s dark nipples. Striking Thomas’s weakness, Doron could make Thomas cum faster. However, Thomas wouldn’t cum that fast. 

Thomas squeezed onto Doron’s dick. The constant stimulation of the prostate ensured that Doron wasn’t that far from cumming too. Thomas applied the right amount of pressure, keeping his grip firm but not too firm to trigger Doron’s orgasm. Doron squeezed his lips shut to prevent himself from getting too loud while he came over Thomas’s chest. In response, Doron squeezed his anal muscles tighter and picked up the speed to overstimulate Thomas until he came too. Thomas’s dick throbbed inside of Doron for a while before finally coming to a stop.

Thomas brushed his sweaty forehead. “We need to get cleaned up again.”

Doron laid across, while Thomas slowly went flaccid until he slipped out. “Later. I want to enjoy this for as long as I can.”

Thomas smiled as he wrapped his arms around Doron, holding him close. “Right. We don’t want to face reality too soon.” He moaned then kissed Doron’s forehead. “Love you.”

Doron smiled. “Love you too.”

*~*

The moon shined over the Big Easy. 

Outside the house, Troilus manifested Abyssal Tide and Invi’s Keyblade. He swung them in unison, as he continued to adjust to the added weight. Even after months of practice, he couldn’t get the balance right. It took a bit more preparation on his part, but he knew the results were worth the pain. 

Troilus sliced the air when he heard the screen door opening. He glanced over his shoulder to spot Brendan joining him. “Am I too noisy for you?”

“You’re fine.” Brendan sat on the cement steps. He looked at the fenced-off backyard, which ensured privacy for them. “It’s getting late. We got a big day ahead of us.”

“I know that,” said Troilus.

Brendan smiled. “Then, come inside. Let’s go to bed. Even you need your rest.”

Troilus stabbed his Keyblades into the ground. He spun around so he could face Brendan. “I’ll rest when I’m ready. I need to focus on my training.”

“There isn’t enough time for you to pull a breakthrough before morning.” Brendan walked over and reached to hold onto Troilus’s hands. “You’re already good at duel-wielding.”

“I need to get better, love. Its the only way I can protect you and the others.”

Brendan couldn’t argue against Troilus’s motivation. The desire to get stronger was a torch that kept Troilus moving forward. However, Brendan hated how it left Troilus too blinded to pay attention to what was in front of him. “You will, but a night of training won’t make a difference.” Brendan kissed Troilus’s cheek. “Plus, it’s a bigger risk for you to go into the fight exhausted. Come to bed now so that you can get your eight hours. You get cranky if you sleep for anything less.”

Troilus chuckled. He leaned closer to kiss Brendan. “Give me an hour, love,” he said, brushing their foreheads together. “Then, I’ll join you in bed.”

“Fine.” Brendan held up his index finger to his face. “One hour. And not a second more, Aquaman!” He went back into the house, making it clear that he would time Troilus.

Troilus nodded, promising to uphold the bargain. He grabbed the Keyblades and resumed training for what little time he had left.

*~*

Odysseus returned to their bedroom, still pretty wet from the shower. He finished drying his hair when he noticed William wasn’t on the bed anymore.

William sat on the floor as he performed his meditation rituals. He shrugged off his clothes, leaving himself only in his underwear so that nothing obstructed his focus. Threads of shadows would wiggle across his body. He wasn’t surrendering himself to Darkness as someone with an untrained eye would assume. Instead, he connected himself to Darkness. 

For a split second, Odysseus swore that he saw William levitate. He blinked to see William still on the floor, so he assumed it was his eyes playing tricks on him.

Odysseus locked their bedroom door behind him before tossing his towel over a chair and climb into the bed, naked. He allowed his body to air dry since the air conditioning and fan did little against the heat from outside.

The vibration of the bed rocked William’s focus. William opened his eyes as the threads of Darkness disappeared within him once more. William climbed to his feet and found the nude Odysseus. 

“Is this your attempt at seducing me?” asked William.

Odysseus shrugged. “Not intentionally, but if it works.” 

William rolled his eyes. He shrugged off his underwear then crawled into the bed too. He laid on his side with Odysseus rolling over so that they could spoon. “Odysseus, when we face the Unversed, you might see a different side of me.”

“Meaning?” Odysseus rubbed his hand along the length of William’s arm. “Does this have anything to do with your training?”

“Yes. I get cold around the Unversed. Brutal even. And I have a feeling we’re going to face Ahriman soon. And, when we do, I’ll need to take him back into me,” said William. “But it won’t be like before. I’ll have to accept him for what he is, the other part of me.”

Odysseus squeezed onto William’s arm and took a deep breath. “What do you think will happen?”

“Best case scenario, nothing,” said William. “But I wanted to warn you before anything happens. If it comes down to it, and I can’t control Ahriman’s influence, then I want youー”

“I will,” Odysseus spoke firmly. He pulled William into his arms, holding him close. “Don’t put me in that situation, though. You’ll win. You’ll stay in control. Then, we find Luciano. Got it?”

William smiled. He could always count on Odysseus’s support. They didn’t need to declare their love with flowery language; they only needed to affirm that they would be there for each other. “Got it. Thank you, Spartan.” William closed his eyes and embraced the urge to sleep.

*~*

The dawn arrived, so they left for the Land of Departure to begin the next battle. Doron knew that they couldn’t use a Gummi Ship because Layla would raise every alarm possible. They decided to travel through Ocean's Between with their Keyblades to avoid the barrier that guarded the castle. They landed on the mountains close to the castle, but far enough that they could prevent an immediate ambush.

Brendan deactivated his armor, as the others followed his example. He kept Gula’s Keyblade in hand while scoping out the immediate area. The castle loomed in the distance, and every light went off to give an ominous feel to the air. “You can bet that Layla is ready for us,” he said calmly. “She probably knows the Unversed are coming too.”

“It’s what we wanted.” Odysseus walked to the edge of the cliff. “There is no point in doing things the easy way. We have to hit the Order and Unversed hard.”

“Still, this is a big gamble,” said Thomas. “It can all go wrong.”

Troilus nodded. “Don’t forget, this is our best option. Going after the Order will lure the Unversed here too. We can contain our enemies in one area, instead of chasing them down on multiple worlds.”

William struck Gazing Eye to the ground. He took a deep breath. “Let’s not keep Master Layla waiting for us.” He glanced at Doron. “Any word from Juan?”

Doron shook his head. “It looks like we’re doing this alone.” 

“So be it.” Odysseus raised Ira’s Keyblade, aiming it for the castle. The others followed his lead. Rays of light projected from their Keyblades that created an unbreakable tether. They jumped from the cliff with the light acting as a rope that swung them to the castle at rapid speed. 

They landed near the gates of the castle, on a massive platform. It led directly to the castle, but the ample space also made it the perfect battleground. They kept their Keyblades out since they didn’t know what to expect at this point.

A flash of light illuminated the sky that erupted from the highest tower of the castle. They took that as their signal to prepare for battle. Several rays of light coalesced around them. They witnessed dozens of Order Wielders raising their Keyblade, all dressed in their Keyblade Armor. 

Odysseus huffed. “Hiding your faces from us. You can’t even face us with honor!”

“There is nothing to honor, you traitors!” shouted a Wielder.

William licked his lips. “Greggy boy, is that you? Layla is desperate if she made a wimp like you a Warrior.”

“Silence!” shouted another Wielder.

The Order Wielders prepared to attack when a Corridor of Darkness opened. Kurai stepped out, with Juan joining him. They summoned their Keyblades. Kurai smirked. “Sorry for coming to the party late. There was a slight delay in our flight.”

“Happy to have you,” said Brendan.

Thomas glanced at Juan. “Is this all that remains of the Proteas?”

Juan nodded. “Of those willing to fight. The rest have gone silent.”

“We don’t need them!” said Doron. “We got this, right?”

“Hell yeah!” said Troilus. 

“Kill the traitors!” The Order Wielders took aim. They unleashed a barrage of Firaga spells that would surely kill everyone. 

However, they had no intention of falling to an obvious attack. Thomas led everyone to raise their Keyblades. He connected to their powers, prompting a barrier made of a transparent hexagon to appear around them. “Reflectga!” shouted Thomas. The Firaga spells crashed against the barrier, but the barrier held. The tip of Aced’s Keyblade glowed brighter as the barrier reflected the Order’s spells. 

Fireballs sailed across the platform. Most of the Order Wielders dodged the attack, but many also couldn’t make a move. Several burned alive, and others got blasted from the platform. A fire began to burn across the platform that threatened to consume them. The Order Wielders responded quickly to unleash Water and Blizzard spells to neutralize the flames.

The firefighting proved a great distraction. Odysseus called on the attack, which gave them the opening that they needed to strike the Order. 

Odysseus slashed at a pair of Wielders. He would also manipulate the embers to return into a raging fire to burn others. 

Brendan kicked a Wielder’s face before slashing at another, while Doron covered Brendan by conjuring a pair of Aero spells to blow other Wielders aside. Troilus summoned his Abyssal Tide to dual wield to parry and riposte every blow that came after him, while Thomas conjured a barrage of Thundaga spells to leave the Order too paralyzed to put up a fight. 

Kurai and Juan stayed nearby as they slashed every Wielder. Kurai moved with frightening grace while delivering fatal blows. As for Juan, he fought with incredible rage. Every swing he took was for the memory of a Protea that fell in battle. 

Meanwhile, William did a backflip to avoid some incoming slashes. He lunged forward to unleash a blast of dark energy that sent several Wielders flying back at once. He raised Gazing Eye only to feel a chill in the air.

A shadowy vortex opened above them. Malicious laughter echoed as dozens of Unversed began to descend upon the Land of Departure. 

William smirked, as the next phase of the battle began. “Took you long enough.” 

*~*

From the office window, Layla found herself smirking. She witnessed enough of the battle to see her former students putting up a good enough fight. And now, the Unversed made their grand arrival. She activated her Keyblade Armor and summoned Divine Rose. She thought it only fair that she should take arms against those who would betray the Light.

She walked to the balcony and climbed to the edge. She took the jump to reach the blood-stained battlefield. 

The Unversed proved the greatest threat to the Order now. Their superior numbers meant that Layla would need to decimate these abominations before killing the traitors. She would decapitate the first Unversed she saw when her eyes noticed William. In his hands, she could see him wielding Gazing Eye. She would see the others carrying the Foretellers’ Keyblades, which sent a chill down her spine.

“What is the meaning of this?” whispered Layla.

Ometechu arose behind Layla while continuing to remain invisible to everyone else. Ometechu glared at them. “ _Their depravity knows no limits, Layla. They would use these sacred relics against you. They must die for their sins._ ”

Layla nodded. “Yes. I must extinguish them!” 

As Layla rushed at them in a blind charge, a blast of dark energy rippled across the ground. Layla stumbled back to find Kurai blocking her path forward.

Kurai swung Way to the Dawn behind him. He dragged his foot back and raised a hand to conjure a Dark Firaga. “Enough of this madness, Layla. You must see how far you’ve fallen!”

“Me!” Layla’s eyes widened as her rage flared outward. “I am the only one loyal to the Light! The rest of you have become spawns of Darkness.”

“No. We are the ones attempting to restore balance,” corrected Kurai. “The Order’s purpose is to maintain the balance between Light and Darkness because the worlds need both, but you blindly follow Light while antagonizing Darkness. The Harlequins should’ve stopped you before it reached this point, but they strayed too close to the Darkness that they could no longer see the Light.”

Layla laughed as she took a closer look at Kurai. She could sense the flaws in his existence because of his origins as a Replica. “Don’t speak to me like you know anything, boy! You are a worthless doll. A puppet for the powerful!”

Kurai shook his head. “I am no one’s puppet.” He flicked his index finger, unleashing the Dark Firaga. The Dark Firaga blasted Layla back a few feet but didn’t do much else to slow her down. She growled as she brushed the flames from her body and took charge after him once more.

This time Juan intercepted the attack. He swung Sleeping Lion so that Layla had no choice but to face him now. “You must listen to reason, Layla!” shouted Juan. “It is not too late!”

“The only way for you to redeem yourself, Juan,” said Layla, “is for you to spill your guts.” She broke his guard and slashed Divine Rose at his chest. Luckily, Juan managed to avoid the hit, but only narrowly.

Juan slid into Kurai’s arms. Layla came after them again, as she had no intention of showing any mercy.

However, an Unversed would get in Layla’s way. The Unversed fell to his back with William jumping on top to plunge Gazing Eye into his chest. William pulled the blood-stained Keyblade out when he noticed Layla’s presence. 

Layla glared at William. “I should’ve known better than to trust you to find your way, William,” she said bitterly. “Gazing Eye fell into a monster’s hands once more.”

William smirked as he brushed some blood from his chin. “Oh, master. You know how to flatter a boy.” William started to make his way towards Layla only for a Corridor of Darkness to open nearby. 

Before anyone could blink, Ahriman stepped out from the Darkness with Chaos Ripper drawn. Ahriman appeared even more horrific than when they last saw him. His skin bore more cracks than previously with more blood pouring from the sores. 

Ahriman connected Keyblades with William, as he cackled from his madness. “I have found you, weak one! Now, I can finish you!”

William huffed while pushing Ahriman from getting any closer. He raised Gazing Eye when he noticed from the corner of his eye something odd. He saw Brendan kill an Unversed with a speck of blood appearing on Ahriman’s hand. 

William nodded. He wondered for years now what happened to the Unversed when they vanished. He thought that they faded to nothing, but he knew the truth now. They returned to Ahriman. And it appeared that their reunion caused Ahriman harm. 

“I will rid the worlds of you, weak one,” said Ahriman.

“I’m not going anywhere, clown.” William pointed his Keyblade at Ahriman. “Now, where’s Luciano?”

Ahriman shrugged. “How should I know? The pretty light banished me here.” 

“He what?” asked William, surprised that Luciano somehow could open a gate between the realms.

In William’s shock, Ahriman took that as his opportunity to strike. Ahriman lashed out with Chaos Ripper and would’ve killed William if William hadn’t recomposed himself. Their Keyblades connected once more with sparks of Darkness spreading out to the surrounding area.

As William and Ahriman lost themselves in their conflict, Layla would go after Juan and Kurai once more. And all around them, the chaos continued as their companions faced against the Order and Unversed with no sign of Luciano returning.

*~*

Sparks scattered everywhere as Keyblades clashed, and magic collided. Bodies fell to the ground with the newest recruits of the Order dying first. The Unversed decimated many and consumed others to refill their declining ranks. 

Things started to get more desperate as they saw no end to the fighting in sight.

Troilus blocked an incoming blast of magical energy with his Keyblades. He slashed the air to unleash a shockwave that cleared a path forward. Meanwhile, Brendan swung his Keyblade and channeled water from the cracks on the ground to create massive waves. The waves pushed more of the Unversed and the Order aside, but their numbers replenished quickly.

Doron twirled his Keyblade above his head. Nothing happened at first, but a whirlwind began to form that started to pick up every Unversed that surrounded him. He launched the whirlwind, allowing it to crash into a nearby mountain. Then, Thomas went after a handful of Order Wielders. He slammed his foot to the ground with his Keyblade glowing as the field began to quake. The Wielders lost their balance, which kept them from getting any closer.

As they continued their struggle, Odysseus would rush to join Kurai and Juan. 

Layla’s furious temperament proved too great for Kurai and Juan alone. She unleashed a storm of magical energy that left Kurai and Juan stunned as they struggled against the magic. They pushed onward only for her to come in for a close strike. She swung Divine Rose wide enough that she could surely kill them.

However, Odysseus blocked the attack. His muscles flexed while he squeezed onto the handle of Ira’s Keyblade, as he kept Layla from getting any closer. “I always wanted to tell you,” said Odysseus, “that you are a terrible master!”

Layla growled. She jumped backward and swung her Keyblade back. “Ungrateful brat! It's a shame that you couldn’t have died with your traitorous master!”

Their Keyblades connected once more. Sparks flashed once more as they glared at each other. 

Despite not having the Mark of Mastery, Odysseus did a marvelous job of holding his ground against Layla. He parried her next attack before lunging forward to disarm her.

Layla yelled as she cradled her injured hand. She refused to fall so easily. She abandoned her injured hand and summoned Divine Rose to the other one. She went after Odysseus once more, proving herself as capable of fighting with her weaker hand. It surprised Odysseus, but he managed to cage his shock before it got him killed. 

Layla slammed her Keyblade onto Odysseus’s Keyblade. The vibrations loosened Odysseus’s grip and caused him to stumble. Layla saw her opening and lunged forward to strike Odysseus’s heart. 

But before the blow could connect, a burst Light arose from the ground between them. It pushed them apart to give Odysseus a chance to save himself and left Layla frustrated. The column of Light left everyone blinded for a moment then started to dim down until a figure became visible. 

The Combined Keyblade glistened in the sunlight as its Wielder emerged. 

Luciano raised his Keyblade at Layla, positioning himself to guard everyone else. “Did you miss me?”

Cheers echoed. Odysseus rushed towards Luciano. He almost threw his arms around Luciano when Layla went after them. Luciano swung his Keyblade to unleash a slash of Light and Dark energy. The slash repelled Layla, sending her crashing to the ground where she would remain momentarily stunned.

Odysseus chuckled. “When did you learn to do that?”

Luciano smiled as he turned to Odysseus. “Supria and Ventus. You can learn a lot when you have a little balance.” Luciano stepped on the tips of his toes to kiss Odysseus. They didn’t kiss for long as they still had the battle to finish. Luciano pulled away from Odysseus as Juan came after them. “Dad!”

Juan hugged Luciano and started to cry. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“Me too.” Luciano looked at them. “We got big problems coming our way. The Prime Darkness told me that the Prime Light would rise soon, and he wants to destroy everything. The only way that we can defeat it is if I get the X-blade.”

“But it’s gone,” said Juan. 

“Gone, but not destroyed.” Kurai walked over to them. “I haven’t found any signs of it during my journeys. However, I think I know where we might find something that can help us.” 

Luciano nodded. They didn’t have time to find the X-blade as they needed to finish this battle first before things got any worse. He looked across the battlefield until he saw William clashing against Ahriman. 

Luciano took a deep breath before yelling, “Kick his ass, William!”

The voice reached across the battlefield. William finished blasting Ahriman back with an Aero spell when he heard Luciano’s voice. He looked over his shoulder to see Luciano there. It made him smile, and his heart fluttered, knowing that Luciano escaped the Realm of Darkness. Now, William could focus on his goal.

Defeating Ahriman.

Ahriman recovered from the last attack. He charged across the platform to trade blows with William once more. “You will not defeat me!” shouted Ahriman. “You are weak! You are pathetic! You are a coward!”

William blocked every attack, but Ahriman moved too fast. William couldn’t reposition himself to strike, which would do him no good. Their fight needed to end soon so that they could put an end to the Unversed threat.

“You are nothing without me! I am your Darkness!” Ahriman charged Chaos Ripper with a massive surge of Darkness. The Darkness covered the Keyblade and made it grow in volume as it would surely end William’s life.

Gazing Eye’s eye flashed. William blocked the attack and managed to hold his ground. He wouldn’t yield in the slightest even as the Darkness generated burning heat. He fought the pain, glaring at Ahriman. Their fight continued for too long, and William refused to allow it to continue a moment longer. 

William chuckled when he saw Ahriman’s crazed eyes. Those eyes didn’t belong to someone confident of victory. They belonged to someone afraid. Blood poured from Ahriman as more Unversed fell in battle. It made William smirk. “You’re wrong, Ahriman,” said William. “It is you who are nothing without me. And it’s time that I finally put you in your place!” William pushed with all his might to break Ahriman’s attack and leave him disarmed.

Ahriman gasped as he started to fall back.

William lunged to stab Ahriman’s chest. “I already am the Darkness.” William removed Gazing Eye from Ahriman’s chest, leaving Ahriman to collapse to the ground. 

Fragments of Ahriman’s body began to fade almost immediately. Ahriman couldn’t utter a single word. He only stared up to the sky with his eyes glazing over while he started to breathe his last breath. His body faded into the shadow that traveled toward William. William accepted what remained of Ahriman’s Darkness into his heart. After all, Ahriman came from him, William had nothing to fear. 

In consuming Ahriman’s essence, William also caused the surviving Unversed to fade from existence. The armies crumbled, which saved his friends and the Order from an unfortunate death.

However, it wouldn’t end there.

The victory against Ahriman and Unversed was short-lived.

Before anyone could pop a champagne bottle or kiss in celebration, Layla would return to continue the battle. Layla had no intention of seeing things end so soon or allowing the traitors to take the chance to escape.

“I am Ometechu’s chosen!” Layla raised Divine Rose as she charged after Luciano, preparing to strike him while everyone was still distracted. 

Layla could’ve easily killed Luciano, but Juan pushed Luciano aside. However, Juan didn’t have a chance to defend himself, so Layla’s Keyblade pierced his chest instead. Seeing Juan’s blood stain the ground brought a smile to Layla’s face, while Luciano watched in horror. 

Juan’s body fell to the ground, where it remained motionless. 

Luciano screamed. He summoned the Combined Keyblade to his hand and lashed out against Layla.

They traded blows with Luciano remarkably, showing the ability to keep up with Layla, unlike the others. Enraged, Luciano moved at an almost blinding speed. He swung the Combined Keyblade fast enough where even Layla struggled to keep up, but she showed no signs of backing down either.

Instead, Layla would do more to break him. She swung Divine Rose with specks of Juan’s blood staining Luciano’s clothes. “Your father deserved to die for his crimes against the Order. He turned against the Light!”

Luciano glared. He maintained his stance as Layla tried to break his guard. “You’re too blinded with your fanaticism to realize you’re a puppet!” said Luciano. “The only crime my father committed was not killing you sooner. I’ll rectify that.” Dark energy arose from Luciano. He unleashed the Darkness into a shockwave to push Layla back. 

Luciano swung his Keyblade, making his target Layla’s head. However, Layla managed to block the attack with neither side showing any signs of surrendering. The Darkness around Luciano grew in volume as he no longer feared that sleeping power. He could hear the Prime Darkness’s words echoing in his head that he contained Light and Darkness. He would use these powers to stop Layla. 

“Yield, Layla!” growled Luciano. “You’ve committed enough sins. Look at your people. The Order isn’t even a shadow of its former self because you led them blindly to death!”

Layla hissed at Luciano’s comments. And yet, her eyes would glance to the Order Wielders. She could see many died during the battle and even more suffered significant injuries. Those who could focus watch Layla, eyes glazed from horror as they couldn’t comprehend what she became.

Layla shook her head. “Sacrifices are made for the greater good.” She attempted to justify the actions she took, not to Luciano but to herself. The suffering needed purpose. “We will honor the fallen.”

“There is no one to remember them,” said Luciano. “You are alone.”

“Never! The Light is with me. And I shall use it to destroy all who worship the dark.”

Luciano knew that nothing could spare Layla from the madness. Layla dove too deep. The moments of hesitation weren’t enough to make a difference. It infuriated Luciano more to know that Layla devolved into this fanatic. She wouldn’t even apologize or show the slightest remorse for killing Juan.

The pain ignited a spark in Luciano’s heart. He extended a hand, firing a Dark Blizzaga spell from his hand. The spear of violet ice forced Layla to defend herself from the magic instead of his Keyblade. It gave Luciano the opportunity that he needed for a final strike. He raised the Combined Keyblade, engulfing it in a surge of Darkness.

“Wait!” shouted Kurai as it dawned on him what would happen next. If Ometechu marked Layla as his chosen, then that could mean only one thing. “Luciano, stop!”

However, nothing would stop Luciano. His rage and despair blinded him as he slashed his Keyblade across Layla’s chest. The Darkness burned her flesh as the Keyblade ripped her open. Her blood flew everywhere and coated Luciano’s Keyblade. 

And even as death would soon claim her, Layla would smile as she performed her service to Ometechu. Layla gasped her last breath and smiled. Her heart began to rise from her body, as did Juan’s heart. 

Their bodies faded, but their hearts ascended to the sky. It didn’t end there.

The ground quaked, and Light erupted from the valley. Everyone fell to their knees as it became harder to breathe. The chains that connected the castle to the mountains began to break. A wing of the castle collapsed. Layla and Juan’s hearts fell into the valley where the Light would consume them. 

An ominous laugh echoed everywhere. 

“The last of the Masters have fallen,” came a thunderous voice. “Balance is no more. Light must reign over the misguided. Bow, mortals! Bow before your true god, Ometechu!”


	16. Mark of Godhood

An entity bathed in golden light arose from the valley. Luciano and everyone else watched in astonishment as the figure reached the platform. The Light retracted within, as it revealed a young man in a yellow bodysuit that looked much like Luciano. 

The young man bore similar dark curly hair and dark-brown skin. He blinked his golden eyes and stretched his limbs. He stared at his gloved hands before turning his gaze onto everyone and cracked a smile.

“Bow, mortals. Bow before your god. Ometechu.” 

Ometechu raised his hand into the air. Light rippled across the valley and made the ground quake beneath them. A handful of Wielders fell from the edge with the burning Light extinguishing their lives. Ometechu showed no concern as he effortlessly claimed more lives.

However, Ometechu would turn his sights onto Luciano and his companions. He kept smiling as he took a step closer and extended a hand to them. “Come with me, children. It is not too late for our family and set the worlds back on their proper course.”

Luciano raised the Combined Keyblade. “Never! Ometechu, the Prime Darkness told me of you!” He glared. “You do not desire balance. You want absolute control. You would burn everything to claim dominion. And, you would dare insult me by wearing my father’s face!”

Ometechu huffed. “Still a stubborn one, Supria. Even in this new life, you would dare defy your parent’s authority.” Ometechu turned his attention to the others. “Would you follow your brother once more? Did you not learn the last time that there are consequences of siding against me?”

Odysseus raised Ira’s Keyblade. “If Luciano says you’re evil, then I believe him. We won’t allow you to dominate the worlds.” Odysseus’s voice boomed across the valley. His words left even the frightened Order Wielders feeling empowered to fight. And his words would call the others to action. Brendan, Troilus, Thomas, and Doron joined them. They raised the Foretellers’ Keyblades as William would join them with Gazing Eye. 

“Fools.” Ometechu flicked his wrist. A sword made of golden light shaped itself and came to his hand. He swung the golden sword to unleash a wave of destructive light that would annihilate all opposition to his rule.

However, William wouldn’t allow it to get that far. He acted quickly. He crossed Gazing Eye over his chest and kept himself firmly on the ground. Darkness flared around him as the Keyblade’s eye started to glow as he manifested thirteen copies of the Keyblade. 

The copies of Gazing Eye floated around them, acting as a protective barrier from Ometechu’s attack. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t protect everyone. Gazing Eye only protected everyone behind William, which left many of the Order Wielders exposed to the attack.

Their bodies faded into the Light with their hearts hovering for a moment. Ometechu would take a deep breath. The hearts would float to him, merging themselves into his being and cause threads of Light to flash over his skin. Devouring their hearts restored more of his lost strength, but it wouldn’t be enough. He needed more. 

William would do all that could to delay Ometechu from regaining his full power. William extended his hand out. The copies of Gazing Eye repositioned themselves and began to bombard Ometechu at such speed and power that it left even a higher power like Ometechu stunned.

Ometechu flinched as he nearly dropped to one knee. “Lagna. Always willing to stand beside Supria.”

“My name is William. And he is Luciano.”

Luciano nodded. “We are no longer your children. But like them, we have no desire to see you dominate this land.”

Ometechu chuckled. He started to straighten himself out as he brushed the scars of battle from his body. “You are in no position to stop me. These new bodies are far weaker than your past selves. Nothing you can do will defy my will!”

“Are you sure about that?” said Odysseus. “I think we can pull something off.” Odysseus turned to William as he had something in mind. William could tell by Odysseus’s devious smile that it involved something wicked. 

“Don’t forget about us,” said Troilus.

While Ometechu prepared his next move, they would join their Keyblades together. William would connect to his inner Darkness and the power that his companions shared with him. 

The Darkness responded. A colossal Corridor of Darkness manifested in the sky that led directly to the Realm of Darkness. Instead of attempting to banish Ometechu to the Dark Realm, William summoned reinforcements. Hordes of Heartless would escape from the portal and begin to bombard Ometechu. Heartless of all shapes and sizes would latch onto Ometechu. Shadows, Neoshadows, Invisibles, Darkballs, Darksides, and Demon Towers would drag Ometechu down to the valley where his yells echoed. 

The portal closed itself so that no more Heartless could escape. 

Brendan gulped as he looked towards the edge. “Not even all those Heartless will hold a god for long.”

“Agreed.” Thomas turned to the surviving Order Wielders. “Now is your chance to flee! Go into hiding and pray that this tyrannical god doesn’t find you.”

The Order Wielders showed no hesitation as they opened portals to escape the Land of Departure.

Kurai walked over to them. “You must go too. We can’t afford for Ometechu to kill any of you. I’ll stay behind to hold him off.”

“Master!” said William.

Kurai patted William on the shoulder. “Go! Do whatever you must to defeat Ometechu.” He turned to Luciano. “I believe that the Gods of Olympus might know how to help you.”

“Right.” Luciano reached for William’s hand. “Let’s go.” 

They stepped away from Kurai. They opened a rift to the Ocean’s Between to escape the Land of Departure with their destination set for Olympus. The portal closed when they stepped inside, leaving Kurai behind to face Ometechu.

Kurai stared at the edge of the cliff. He could see several Darkside Heartless as they attempted to smash Ometechu only for Ometechu to dismember them. 

“You don’t have long,” Kurai whispered. “Hurry.”

*~*

While venturing into the Ocean’s Between, Luciano would fill them on everything that happened to him in the Realm of Darkness. He explained his time alone and escaping from Ahriman before wandering into the Prime Darkness. Then, he told them of the ancient history of the realms, their past lives as the children of the Primes, and how their past selves would banish Ometechu. And now that Ometechu returned, they would need the X-blade to defeat him before he destroyed the realms.

The Keyblades guided them to the world of Olympus, where they landed in the city of Thebes. The Grecian city appeared a real wonder with the architecture creating a majestic feel that proved almost inspiring as Mt. Olympus that loomed in the distance. 

People roamed the streets, completely unaware of the horrors that happened at the Land of Departure or the return of Ometechu. They wandered the markets and laughed as their lives remained untouched from outside worries.

Odysseus took a deep breath. It wasn’t Sparta, but he felt an odd tinge in his heart. He was home. But he wouldn’t take the time to relax; they had more significant concerns. “We’ll need to move it. We have a long walk to Olympus.” 

Doron looked at the people’s outfits then stared at their clothes. “We’re over-dressed. Should we change into robes!”

Brendan scratched his head as he could see how their outfits might raise some alarms. “That isn’t a bad idea. Not that anyone seems to notice.”

“Really?” Troilus started undoing the straps of his outfit. 

Thomas rolled his eyes. “Troilus, you already look like a local. Keep your damn clothes on.”

William sighed. “Focus, children. We need to reach the Olympians before Ometechu can catch up to us.” He summoned Gazing Eye to his hand. He smiled as he recalled the technique he used against Ometechu. “We might have the means to hurt him, but we need the X-blade to defeat him.

“So.” Luciano approached William. Before Luciano could speak another word, William would pull him in close for a hug. Then, William would kiss Luciano. They stayed in that embrace for a moment with Luciano almost losing his breath. He forgot how much he enjoyed William, and Odysseus, kissing him. 

“I’m glad you’re back,” whispered William.

Luciano blinked and smiled. “I’m happy to be back.” He rested his hands on William’s chest. “And you? How are you holding up with Ahriman inside you now?”

William pulled his arms away. He hadn’t considered the changes since so much happened in so little time. He stared at his body and tried to detect any changes. “I’m all here. Do I look any different?”

“You look like the same asshole,” said Doron, “that we know and love.”

William huffed. He looked at Luciano. He brushed Luciano’s curls and knew that nothing changed. “Then, Ahriman is me, and I am him. I am how I should be now.”

“Good. I wouldn’t want you any other way.” Luciano kissed William’s cheek. He turned away to look at Odysseus as they still had something else to worry about. “And the Olympians. How do we find them? Should we go to the mountain?”

Odysseus sighed. “No.” He summoned Ira’s Keyblade and aimed Olympus. Stars gathered at the tip of the Keyblade as he shot a ray into the sky. “This will get their attention.”

They braced themselves. They didn’t know how the gods would take Odysseus’s actions. They prepared to summon their Keyblades as a precaution should the gods interpret the action as an act of war. 

“Merciful Zeus! Ody!”

Everyone, except for Odysseus, would jump. They turned around to find a muscular man with a cheerful smile, radiating a golden aura. Odysseus rolled his eyes. “Not you. I couldn’t have gotten Ares or Athena’s attention?” Odysseus glared at the god. “Hello, Hercules.”

“It is you!” Hercules’s purple robes swayed as he ran over to hug Odysseus in a massive bear hug. “Damn. It’s been years. How are you, buddy?”

“Buddy!” shouted Odysseus. “You’d call me buddy after humiliating me in combat? You’re the reason I had to leave this world!”

Hercules scratched his nose and chuckled. “Come on, buddy. You don’t have to be so dramatic.” Hercules patted Odysseus’s shoulder. “What about all the times that you defeated me in battle? You lost only once.”

“Once?” William laughed. “All that drama for losing one fight.” He glanced at Troilus. “Looks like Odysseus is as petty as you are.” Troilus frowned.

Luciano stepped between them. “Mr. Hercules. Sir. God,” he stammered. He tried not to stare too hard at Hercules’s massive chest. Luciano smiled as it dawned on him that he did have a type. He either fell for the dark, broody boys like William or mountain men like Odysseus. “We need help. The Prime Light, Ometechu, has risen.”

“Ometechu?” Hercules shook his head. “The name doesn’t ring a bell. But, I think I know someone that might help. There is an oracle in town that received a blessing from Apollo. He might know how to help.”

“The Oracle of Delphi is here?” asked Odysseus.

“No. A new oracle.” Hercules chuckled. “You’ve missed a lot, buddy.”

Odysseus glared at Hercules once more. “Stop calling me buddy.” Odysseus would’ve hit Hercules had Luciano not reached for his hand. Odysseus softened his heart as he squeezed onto Luciano’s hand.

Hercules noticed the contact and started to smirk. “Of course, you’d go after a boy that you can throw around instead.”

“Excuse me?” William went over to Odysseus. His eyes remained focused on Hercules. “What was that you had to say about my Spartan?”

“Two?” Hercules’s eyes lit up. “You dog!”

Odysseus mumbled for Hercules to be quiet. However, the connection dawned on Doron before it did anyone else.

Doron ran over to Odysseus with a big grin. “Oh! You and Hercules!” Doron gasped when he noticed Odysseus look away while Hercules raised his eyebrows. “So that’s why you left! You wanted to get away from your ex-boyfriend!”

“Shut up, Doron!” said Odysseus. 

“Is that why you’re mad?” asked Hercules. “You broke up with me, remember? You accused me of not loving you and still being obsessed with Meg.”

Before Odysseus could argue, Brendan got in between them. “Lord Hercules, can you please take us to the Oracle? We are running out of time.”

Hercules nodded as he told them to follow him as he led them deeper into town.

*~*

Explosions of light scattered across the valley. Ometechu vanquished the last of the Heartless that came from the portal and would ascend to the castle once more. 

Ometechu landed on the platform. He considered making a grand speech only to sense no mortal presence in the area. Instead, his gaze fell onto Kurai. He could sense Kurai’s mortality, but it differed from what he knew as natural. 

“You.” Ometechu stared at Kurai with intense depth. He nodded when it became clear. “A Replica. I heard whispers of your kind during my slumber. It is quite remarkable how close you are to a true Somebody.”

Kurai squeezed onto the hilt of Way to the Dawn. He wouldn’t allow Ometechu’s words to distract him as he would follow his purpose. “I also hit just as hard. Especially assholes who wear my friend’s face.”

Ometechu smirked. “I’m sure you do. But don’t fret, this isn’t his body. It’s a form that I created from his memories until I rebuild my true body.” Ometechu took a step closer, still focusing on Kurai’s form. He could see so much that it almost left him confused. “Strange. There is more there. Not the data of the Masters that forged your existence. It's something familiar to me.” Ometechu squinted his eyes. “What is it? Why do youーOh! Now it makes sense.”

Kurai stepped backward as Ometechu got closer. “What makes sense?”

“My partner. I sense his presence within you.” Ometechu licked his lips. He could see it now. He could feel the Prime Darkness’s aura from Kurai. “You wandered the dark roads. I assume you also met him. Did he tell you about me?” 

“Only that you’re a tyrant that needs putting down.” Kurai raised his Keyblade.

Ometechu glared. “He’s one to talk!” A wave of burning Light rushed from Ometechu’s body. It wasn’t a lethal blast, but rather a manifestation of his rage. It pushed Kurai backward, nearly knocking the air out of him. “Did he even bother to tell you that he wanted the war too? He sought to spread the seeds of chaos! He turned our children against me!”

Kurai coughed. Ometechu’s aura proved far more painful than Kurai anticipated. However, Kurai couldn’t allow himself to let Ometechu overwhelm him easily. He only had two advantages over Ometechu. He could produce Darkness, and Ometechu still needed time to regain strength. “From what you’ve shown, you’re not exactly a model parent,” said Kurai. “I would’ve taken you out of the picture too.”

“Mortals.” Ometechu shook his head. He flicked his wrist once more to summon his golden sword. “You cannot see the bigger picture. There’s no point in offering you a place. I will devour this universe and remake it in my image.” He raised his sword at Kurai. “And there is no place for abominations like you in it.”

Kurai shifted his foot. It was now or never. He pointed Way to the Dawn at the ground with rays of Twilight energy appearing. “Maybe not,” said Kurai, “but you don’t belong here either!”

Ometechu looked to the ground. It began to warp beneath him as Kurai opened a portal. The portal dragged Ometechu under and transported him to a barren world.

As the portal closed, Kurai dropped to his knees. He felt exhausted from his attempt at banishing a god, but also the emotional weight of it all finally hit him. Tears trickled down his face as he took the time to mourn Juan, his dearest companion.

*~*

Hercules led them to a temple at the edge of Thebes. Hercules would leave to return to Olympus to uncover what he could from Zeus and the gods. Luciano took over in guiding his companions up the stone steps to meet with the Oracle.

They entered a torchlit temple where a statue of Apollo stood at the center of the open chamber. A frail man in orange robe knelt before the statue with a laurel wreath draped over his head. He reached for a swan feather that rested on a golden plate. He muttered a prayer to the feather before laying it back onto the plate.

Odysseus stepped forward then dropped to his knees. “Wise Oracle, we come to consult with thee. Please offer us your guidance.” 

The Oracle turned. His dark eyes gazed on them for a moment before nodding. “You are the ones that Lord Hercules brought?”

“Yes, wise one.” Odysseus held his hand out to Luciano, urging him to ask the questions.

Luciano would fall to his knees too. “Wise one, there is an ancient god known as Ometechu roaming free. We search for a weapon known as the X-blade to defeat it. Can you help us locate it?”

The Oracle nodded. “I can try.” The Oracle struck a match and ignited the swan feather. A smoke cloud ascended with the Oracle breathing it.

Breathing in the smoke, the Oracle’s eyes flashed gold. Apollo’s statue vibrated from the energies that the Oracle conjured. The Oracle gasped with blurry images flashing before his mind until the energy spoke through him.

“ _Seven warriors. Bond by blood. Wielders of the Keys. Creator of the Book. Banished the Light,_ ” whispered the Oracle. “ _The Book. Holder of Secrets and Time. Rests in the Tower. Tower cradles Light and Dark._ ”

The power would fade from the Oracle, but something else attached itself to him. He gasped as burning pain rippled across his body, and smoke started to rise from his eyes. “ _Godly fury!_ ” he screamed. “ _Devourer of life! None may live! He shall destroy all._ ” The Oracle dropped to the ground, with everyone rushing to his side. 

Thomas and Brendan applied healing magic onto the Oracle to undo some of the damage. But it didn’t appear that the Oracle would easily recover. 

Doron typed everything that the Oracle said into his Gummi Phone. He handed it over to Luciano for review. “This is everything,” said Doron. “Any of it make sense to you?”

“Pieces.” Luciano stared at the Oracle until the Oracle started to breathe normally. He turned his attention to the phone. “The warrior bound by blood must refer to Supria and his siblings. And the Light that they banished is Ometechu.”

William nodded. “Then, the book must refer to the Book of Prophecies.”

“And the rest?” asked Troilus. “Will the book tell us how they defeated Ometechu?”

“I believe so,” said Luciano. “And we got a location—a vague one. But we can figure that out. It’s the second prophecy that bothers me.”

Odysseus frowned as the Oracle’s words echoed. “It’s a prophecy of death. Should we fail to defeat Ometechu, then everyone dies.” 

The healing light from Thomas and Brendan’s spells faded. The Oracle laid on the ground, appearing exhausted more than anything else. They would walk over to the others.

“We should watch the Oracle for the night,” said Thomas with Brendan agreeing, “in case his condition gets worse.”

“That gives us time to find this tower,” said Brendan. “Plus, we all need some rest. After everything that happened today.”

“Right.” Odysseus would scoop the Oracle into his arms to take him to a bed. “I’ll find the temple priests and make the arrangements for us. Stay here.”

They would follow Odysseus’s instructions and would begin to uncover the tower that the Oracle spoke of.

*~*

After some time of thinking, they felt no closer in deciphering the Oracle’s prophecy. However, they made arrangements with the temple priests to stay there for the night. They would sleep in a chamber that featured several bunk beds, leaving them without any privacy. 

Meanwhile, the priests would tend to the Oracle. Brendan and Thomas would help the priests, leaving everyone else to fend for themselves.

Luckily, the temple wasn’t too far from a bathhouse. It allowed them to clean themselves before they would rest for the night. 

At the bathhouse, Luciano rubbed the freshwater against his skin. He stared at a mirror that neighbored the pool. Two memories strayed into his mind. He could see Layla murdering his father; then, he would recall how Ometechu would wear a young version of his father’s face. It gave him chills. When they’d find the X-blade, Luciano didn’t know how he could use it on someone with Juan’s face. Even if that someone was a tyrannical god. 

The water rippled with there being small splashes. Luciano looked up to find William swimming towards him while Odysseus climbed into the pool. William wrapped his arms around Luciano and lay a kiss on Luciano’s neck.

“We never got the chance for a proper reunion.” William sighed. “And I still haven’t apologized for accidentally sending you to the Realm of Darkness.”

Luciano smiled as he rested his head against William’s chest. “That wasn’t your fault. And, I’m fine in that respect.” He shivered when he felt Odysseus’s hand touch his lower back. His instincts wanted to resist such intimacy, given the public nature of the baths. But he would notice that they weren’t the only ones who embraced so openly as other men showed similar acts of affection. 

Odysseus massaged Luciano’s back. “How are you holding up? After losing your dad.”

“I want to cry,” whispered Luciano. “I should be crying, but I can’t. I’m too angry. And we need to focus on defeating Ometechu. And一”

“Let it out, Luciano.” William squeezed onto Luciano tighter. “If you want to cry, then cry. If you want to yell, then yell. We’re here for you.”

Luciano smiled. He pressed his face against William’s chest and grabbed onto Odysseus’s arm to pull him closer. “Thank you. Both of you,” Luciano sighed. “I’m glad that I have you in my life. It makes this mess easier to deal with.” 

Odysseus chuckled then kissed the back of Luciano’s neck. “Good. That means we’re doing our job.” He splashed some water onto Luciano’s back to get rid of the excess oil. He gestured for them to leave the pool since they spent plenty of time in the bath. 

They pulled themselves from the pool with the cool air drying their naked bodies as they made their preparations to return to the temple.

*~*

That night, they had a peaceful rest. At dawn, they decided to review a list of potential towers that the Book of Prophecies might be located. They sat on the steps of the temple to piece their list together with a sense of urgency since they knew it wouldn’t be long until Ometechu made his next move.

Brendan would return from the temple after checking on the Oracle once more. He confirmed that the Oracle would recover, but experienced some blindness from the last prophecy. 

Luciano frowned. “We need to make this right. The sooner that we find the X-blade then, the sooner we can end this mess.”

“Agreed,” said Doron.

They started to cross candidates off the list when they heard a loud thunderclap echo across the skies. They thought a storm was coming but instead found clear skies. They worried at the meaning of the thunder until they looked towards Mt. Olympus. There, they saw green clouds gathering around the mountain.

Thomas gulped. “Is that a sign that the gods are angry? Or something else?”

“Something else,” whispered Odysseus.

“You’re still here!” 

Footsteps descended from the temple. They saw Hercules rushing to them, but he abandoned the purple robes that he wore yesterday to wear a set of bronze armor with a sword strapped to his hip. 

Hercules extended his hand out to them. “Come with me! There’s something you need to see.” They didn’t have much of a choice. Hercules used his godly powers to transport them from Thebes to the heavens. 

Golden light blinded them for a moment until their vision adjusted to this domain. They found themselves standing on a marble floor that floated on a sea of clouds. They felt close enough to the sun that they could touch it, but ignored the illusion to realize that Hercules brought them to the top of Olympus, the domain of the gods.

Brendan’s jaw dropped. “Incredible! It is so beautiful up here.”

Troilus nodded. “But why are we here?”

“That!” Hercules pointed behind them.

Thunder roared as they witnessed an orange-skinned man toss lightning bolts. Odysseus identified the man as Zeus himself. Zeus would throw lightning at someone that they had no trouble recognizing. 

“Ometechu!”

Ometechu flew across the heavens. He avoided Zeus’s attack without the slightest bit of struggle. He would attempt to get closer to Zeus when a blue-skinned goddess and a red-skinned god blocked his path. They crossed swords, preventing Ometechu from getting any closer. 

“Do not get in my way!” Ometechu roared as he drew his golden sword. He slashed at the two gods, decapitating them with a single swing.

“Athena! Ares!” shouted Zeus.

Hercules clenched his fists as he witnessed their deaths. “That is the Prime Light that you spoke of yesterday?” he asked, staring at Luciano to get his confirmation. Luciano nodded. “Thought so. Did the Oracle give you what you need?”

“Only a possible location,” said William, “and a warning of destruction should we fail.”

“We need to find a tower that cradles Light and Dark!” said Luciano. “Does that ring any bells to you?”

Hercules squinted his eyes as the fighting captured his attention. A sea-green god that resembled a fish-man and wielding a trident attempted to stab Ometechu. The god hit his mark, but Ometechu shrugged off the attack. Ometechu broke the god’s trident before lunging forward to stab him. 

Hercules closed his eyes and held back tears. “Poseidon.” He shook his head to hold the heartache back. He focused on Luciano’s question. “A tower cradling Light and Dark.” His eyes lit up from a memory. “I think I know of a tower! Sora told me of such a place!”

“Master Sora?” Luciano smiled. “I forgot you and him were friends.”

“Close friends.” Hercules grabbed onto his sword as he prepared to join the gods in battle against Ometechu. “The tower belonged to one called Master Yen Sid. However, the tower is temperamental. It will only appear to those it deems worthy.”

Odysseus resisted the urge to laugh since it wasn’t appropriate for this moment. “Of course! That is the one place that not even the Order had access to. It is the perfect place to hide the Book of Prophecies and even the X-blade!”

“We’ll look for it immediately,” said Luciano. “But...your family.”

“Don’t worry about us!” Hercules whistled to summon his white steed, Pegasus. Pegasus flew across Olympus with its mighty wings flapping in the breeze as Hercules climbed onto him. “If this entity can kill us with a single blow, then he is too powerful for us to ignore. We’ll do everything we can to slow him down. Find the tower! If the tower doesn’t manifest itself to you from the stars, then your best bet at the train station in Twilight Town. Pegasus! Let’s ride!”

Pegasus neighed as he led them to combat.

Odysseus stepped forward and took a deep breath. “You better not die, Herc! I still demand a rematch!”

Hercules smiled as he raised his sword. “You got it, Ody!”

Odysseus sighed. He knew he wouldn’t get the rematch. He summoned Ira’s Keyblade and turned to see the others holding their Keyblades now too. “Come on. We have no time to waste.” He joined them in opening a portal to the Ocean’s Between with them activating their Keyblade Armor before stepping into the portal.

As the portal closed, Hercules got close enough to strike Ometechu. Hercules jumped from Pegasus to stab Ometechu in the back with his sword.

Golden blood poured from Ometechu’s chest, but he only laughed from Hercules’s attack. Ometechu spun with the intensity of a cyclone to throw Hercules off him even as his sword remained. Hercules would’ve fallen had Zeus and Hera not acted quickly in catching him. Ometechu pushed the sword out and didn’t even groan from the mild pain that it caused him.

The sword fell to the platform with Ometechu’s eyes flashing pure gold. Ometechu licked his lips. “You, gods, are powerful, but not as powerful as I.” Omtechu laughed. “However, your hearts and this world’s heart will sustain me. Then, I’ll move onto the next world and devour its heart until no worlds remain. And only then can I rebuild this realm into a perfect one!”

“No!” shouted Hercules. “You monster!”

Zeus nodded. “Come, Olympians! Unite our powers so that we may vanquish this Typhon!”

The surviving gods followed Zeus’s command. They attempted to rush Ometechu, but it would prove fruitless. 

A wave of golden energy erupted from Ometechu’s body. The energy wave struck the Olympians, vaporizing them to dust. Hercules witnessed the other gods fall before the wave hit him last. He muttered an apology to Odysseus until he faded to dust. However, it wouldn’t end there. The tide continued to spread and began to rip Olympus apart.

The destructive wave descended from the mountain and would strike Thebes next. Even the Underworld felt the disturbance with Hades and Persphone not even realizing what happened until it was too late.

The world of Olympus faded from the universe. Ometechu floated in the void of space with a golden heart floating into his body, revitalizing him as he devoured the world’s heart. 

Ometechu licked his lips once more. “Delicious,” he whispered. “Now, onto the next world.”


	17. Mark of Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Howdy, y'all! I'm feeling seriously motivated to finish the story so I'll be updating a bit more frequently. I finished writing chapter 18 and I'm currently working on edits. Depending how things go, I'll post the last chapters this weekend or maybe Monday. I don't know. We'll see how the writing goes. 
> 
> Also, there's a sex scene in this chapter!
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated.

From the vastness of space, Luciano led them on a journey across the universe. Their Keyblade Armor shielded them from the corruptive influences that lurked in the Ocean’s Between, which granted allowed them to search every corner for any sign of Yen Sid’s Tower. They knew how to identify it from their studies at the Academy, but they didn’t see it manifest before them.

They saw other stars and worlds, none of which had any connection to Yen Sid’s Tower.

William floated closer to Luciano while squeezing onto the hilt of Gazing Eye, so he didn’t get lost in space. “It looks like we’re not going to find the tower. We should follow Hercules’s advice and head to Twilight Town.”

Luciano frowned, however, his helmet kept his emotions masked. He looked to the empty space when he saw another world nearby. His heart skipped a beat as he recognized his Santa Cecilia. The thought of leaving Twilight Town when he was so close to his home, made him second guess the decision.

Luciano pointed the Combined Keyblade. “Let’s rest there for the night.”

“Why?” asked Brendan as he floated closer. “We need to focus on Ometechu.”

“It’s home,” Luciano said simply.

Odysseus nodded. “We could use the rest. We spent hours wandering the stars.” The other agreed since they didn’t want to deny Luciano the chance to go home. They used their Keyblades to guide them to Santa Cecilia. 

They arrived at the world’s orbit when they opened a shimmering portal. They landed on the surface through the portal. Deactivating the armor, they stepped on the outskirts of a village that had once burned to the ground when the Heartless attack.

Luciano held back tears from the memory that started his journey. He instead focused on the chill of his village nestled between the mountains and the coast. He breathed in the aromatic scents from the village kitchens as dinnertime approached. And the sounds of children playing at the plaza reminded him of his innocence. 

“I’m home,” whispered Luciano. He smiled as he led them away from the village. “My house is this way. It’ll take about ten minutes to walk there.”

“Not bad,” said Thomas, “but shouldn’t we get some supplies while we’re near the village? Didn’t your home burn down?”

“Right.” Luciano went back towards the village. “Let’s get what we can.”

They followed Luciano to the village and managed not to invoke too much attention. The villagers didn’t appear to recognize Luciano, which made sense since he hadn’t been there for years. They purchased a few things to make a meal and got fresh water, plus a few bottles of tequila. 

As they finished stocking up on supplies, Doron found himself busy on his Gummi Phone. Under different circumstances, he’d spend his time playing around. Instead, he found himself checking on the status of Olympus only to make a grim discovery.

Doron’s face drooped from the news. He called on everyone’s attention. “Olympus is gone.” They gasped as they hadn’t expected Doron to surprise them with such news.

Troilus nearly dropped the bags of food. “Are you sure? The whole world.”

Doron nodded. “Yeah. It’s no longer producing a signal,” he whispered. “It must mean that Ometechu did what he promised.”

“He devoured the world,” said William.

Odysseus clenched his fists and closed his eyes. “ _Herc._ ”

Luciano shook his head. “We need to find the tower. But we should rest first before going to Twilight Town.”

“Right.” Brendan pointed at the village entrance. “Show us the way home, Lucio.”

Luciano nodded as he led them out of the village to remains of his home.

*~*

The skies turned a strange shade of red. The denizens of Neverland looked to the sky and found themselves curious as to what could cause such a thing to happen.

From the top of Skull Cave, Kurai could see it clear as day. An explosion of light rippled across the skies as Ometechu manifested on this world too. Kurai didn’t bother to summon his Keyblade since he knew that he couldn’t do a thing to slow Ometechu’s attack. Kurai could only watch as Ometechu would devour this world as he already did to Olympus. 

Ometechu descended from the sky to the edge of the cave. He spotted Kurai without any trouble and decided to taunt Kurai once more. “You cannot banish me, _doll_. I will not fall for the same tricks twice. I am too wise and too powerful.”

Kurai nodded. “It might not work again, but I can see your weakness.”

“Weakness? There is nothing weak about me,” said Ometechu.

“There is. You see it too, don’t you?” Kurai stepped closer with Ometechu glaring at him for daring to insinuate that he had a weakness. “Juan’s form. You only copied it; you didn’t have the foresight to take his body before it faded. Now, you burn so much energy. No wonder you’ll need to devour every world that you come across. It’s the only way that you can keep up appearances.” 

Light rippled across Ometechu’s body. It soon crackled like lightning as he channeled it into a sword that he would use to dismember Kurai. “Continue at your own peril, _doll_ ,” said Ometechu. “You might not like what happens next.”

Kurai smirked. “So, my theory is true. At least I know there’s a chance to stop you.”

“It won’t do you any good to try. I am still beyond you and my traitours children. I could kill you all with a single glance if I willed it.”

“But you haven’t,” said Kurai. “Why? Is something holding you back?”

Ometechu didn’t bother to humor Kurai’s question. Instead, he tossed the sword at Skull Rock. Light dug beneath the surface and spread throughout the world as he slowly began to destroy this world too. “The only thing holding me back is hunger,” said Ometechu. “You’ll all die once I am satisfied.” The world began to crumble with Ometechu beginning to devour it. 

Kurai shook his head. He could see Ometechu as nothing more than a mad tyrant that could never be satisfied. He vanished into a Corridor of Darkness before he got caught in the destruction too. 

Ometechu didn’t bother to chase after Kurai even though he could. He focused on consuming this world’s heart before moving onto the next one.

*~*

Much of Luciano’s home managed to survive the fire that burned the village. However, the villagers left it abandoned since no one would claim it, which meant nature would overtake the remains. Part of the roof collapsed onto itself, but they had enough magic between them that they could reverse the damage and make the house stable once more. 

After repairing the house, they made themselves as comfortable as they could in the limited square foot. They didn’t have much space to spread out in the adobe-style house. It had only two bedrooms with Luciano sharing his bedroom with Odysseus and William. Doron and Thomas would take the bedroom belonging to Luciano’s mom, while Brendan and Troilus made themselves comfortable in the living room.

In the meantime, they worked on preparing dinner except for Luciano and William.

Luciano knelt at a corner of the house to rebuild the ofrenda he made for his parents. He shook his head that they made one for Juan even though he wasn’t dead, and he frowned at the addition that he made for his mother before leaving for the Academy. He found an old photograph of him with his parents, which he laid to rest beside the individual photos of his parents. He remade it the best he could even as he knew that he didn’t have much of a reason to do this work. 

The threat Ometechu posed to the worlds, and the likelihood that Ometecu would destroy Santa Cecilia too was high. However, it made Luciano’s heart feel better when he fixed their ofrenda. He wanted to have something there to remember his parents, something that felt more permanent than his memories. 

As Luciano brushed the rubble aside and repaired the broken glass from the frames, William returned from outside. 

William had a bundle of wildflowers in his hand that he handed to Luciano. “They’re not pretty, but they’re the best I could find.”

Luciano smiled. Most of the flowers that William brought were dandelions, but he also found a mix of other flowers. Luciano graciously accepted the flowers and placed them into the small vase, which he filled with a Water spell. 

The ofrenda looked more presentable now. It wasn’t as elegant as it once was, but Luciano could take pride in what he made. “This is good,” whispered Luciano. “They’re remembered.”

William knelt beside Luciano, staring at the ofrenda. “You know, memories are powerful things,” he said softly. “It is said that powerful enough memories can bring even the dead back to life. Not that I would take much stock in it.” 

Luciano nodded. “The dead are better left buried. Life has no meaning if one can constantly be revived from the dead.” He started to get on his feet. William followed in his example. “Come on. I think dinner’s ready.”

Before Luciano could walk to the kitchen, William took hold of Luciano’s hand. He pulled Luciano to his chest and held him tight. Luciano closed his eyes and sighed. He buried his face against William’s chest, embracing what little comfort that he could. 

“Thank you,” Luciano whispered.

William nodded as he kissed Luciano’s forehead and rubbed his back.

*~*

Sitting on the living room floor, they had a modest feast since they didn’t have much cooking equipment to work with or time. They grilled some meat and vegetables and ate them with some tortillas. Luckily, they also had the tequila. The shots helped to numb the pain and memory of the last two days as they didn’t want to waste another thought on Ometechu.

However, they needed to discuss Ometechu, especially after he destroyed Olympus. They knew other worlds would fall soon, which meant they didn’t have much time to waste. They needed to find the X-Blade and go on the offensive sooner than later.

William slammed another shot. “I’ll go after Ometechu.” His sudden words caught everyone by surprise. Luciano’s eyes widened as he couldn’t even find the words to express how terrified he felt from the thought of William confronting Ometechu.

Troilus coughed. “You’ll what? Are you suicidal?”

“No.” William poured himself another shot. “But did you forget what happened the last time we fought him? I could hurt him. My Darkness is strong enough now to hurt him.”

“You can hurt him,” repeated Brendan. “That doesn’t mean you can kill him. Or that he can’t kill you.”

William shrugged. “I know. Still, we have to do something to stall him until Luciano can get the X-Blade.”

Odysseus shook his head. “You’re fucking crazy! You can’t seriously want to go after Ometechu now. He killed the Olympian gods.”

“That doesn’t mean we should wait for him to come after us!” said William.

Thomas massaged his forehead. He could see this argument devolving into total anarchy unless someone took control. “What if we split up into groups?” he suggested. “Our inner Darkness might not be as strong as yours, William, but we can put up a fight. It might be enough to help you hold Ometechu back until Luciano gets the X-Blade.”

Doron nodded as he pointed at Thomas. “That’s a good point! We wasted all this effort to find the Foretellers’ Keyblades. Might as well use them to beat a god’s ass. I’m on Team Jump A God!”

“Right!” Troilus agreed. “I’ll go with William.”

“Me too,” Odysseus said without the slightest hesitation. 

Brendan and Thomas glanced at each other. They agreed to go with Luciano to find Yen Sid’s Tower.

Luciano’s jaw hung open. He looked at William and Odysseus, pained that they would act so willing to abandon him to confront Ometechu. “You’re not serious about going after him, are you?”

“It’s the best plan available,” said William. “We have to face him eventually. Might as well catch him by surprise if possible.”

Luciano shook his head. He hated the plan, but he knew that they didn’t have much of a choice. They didn’t find Yen Sid’s Tower today. There wasn’t much time left before Ometechu devoured the realm, so they would need to do something to stall Ometechu. Still, he hated the plan with every fiber of his being. He hated the thought of sending his boyfriends and friends to face Ometechu before he had the chance to acquire the X-Blade.

However, Luciano could see reason. The loss of Olympus, the devastation that Ometechu unleashed, and the Prime Darkness’s words served as proof enough of the danger. 

“Alright,” whispered Luciano. “We’ll split up. I’ll do everything I can to find the X-Blade as soon as possible.” He turned to William and Odysseus. “Try not to do anything stupid. And don’t run headfirst into a situation where you can’t escape from.”

“We will,” they said.

Luciano would come to regret this mess. He poured himself a double shot of tequila and slammed it without the slightest bit of hesitation.

*~*

After dinner, Luciano stumbled to the river to clean himself. The well at his house wasn’t well-maintained, so they only had enough water for cooking and washing their hands, not enough for a proper bath. Luciano didn’t feel like filling a bathtub, so he stripped down to nothing and went into the river like he would when he was a kid. 

The cold water felt great on his skin and held him to sober up from the tequila shots. It also helped him to forget his thoughts of William and Odysseus leaving in the morning to face Ometechu. He tried not to think of his lovers and his friends going to battle against a god and instead focused on retrieving the X-Blade. After all, it is what they needed to defeat Ometechu.

Luciano moaned a little as he stepped further into the river and felt the water reach his spine. “Enjoying yourself?” echoed William’s voice. Luciano looked over his shoulder to find William and Odysseus standing on the shore with a set of towels. 

William wasted no time in stripping down to nothing and ran into the river. Odysseus took a bit longer to get rid of all his clothes, but he would also join them. They swam over to Luciano with their body heat helping to warm the immediate area.

“Following me?” asked Luciano.

Odysseus rubbed Luciano’s back. “Well, you are the one who left while we were busy coming up with a strategy. Are you okay?”

Luciano groaned. “I’m fine.”

William shook his head. “You’re pissed. So just say it.”

“Why? It’s not like it’ll make a difference.” Lucian turned away from them. He crossed his arms and stepped further into the river until he had to kick his legs to keep himself floating. “Nothing I can say will make you change your minds. You’re going to face Ometechu. And I’m going to worry that you get yourselves killed if I don’t find the X-Blade in time! And…and.” He stopped himself from rambling further. He didn’t see the point in speaking anymore as it only left him feeling worse.

William and Odysseus glanced at each other before swimming to Luciano once more. They would wrap their arms around him as they floated in the river.

“Have faith in us,” said William. “We’re tougher than you think.”

“I know you’re strong,” said Luciano, “but he’s a god.”

“And we’re not looking to beat him,” said Odysseus. “All we are doing is making sure you have the time to find the X-Blade. That’s it. If things get too heavy, then we’ll retreat.”

Luciano closed his eyes. “Really? You can put aside your egos to retreat from a fight?”

“He is a god,” said William. “We’d be stupid not to retreat if we got the chance.” William’s certainty made Luciano laugh. William kissed Luciano’s forehead. “Come on. We should rest up before tomorrow. It’s going to be a busy day.”

They would have a busy day ahead of them. Luciano could see them wandering down a point of no return where they couldn’t predict the outcome. They could hold off Ometechu long enough for him to find the X-Blade and use it to defeat the god. Or the Realm of Light could cease to exist. Or Luciano could find the X-Blade but would be too late to save William and Odysseus. The second option wasn’t a pleasant one since it meant extermination, and the third one sucked for personal reasons.

If things could take an awful turn, Luciano knew that he needed to make the most of this moment. He wanted a memory of something that he would treasure.

William started to lead them to shore when Luciano grabbed his arm. Before William could question it, Luciano kissed him. William didn’t argue with it as he instead wrapped his hands around Luciano’s waist. Their tongues danced, and their lips popped from the kiss. Luciano would lean back and wrap an arm around Odysseus’s neck. Luciano pulled Odysseus close to kiss him with the same intensity as he shared with William. Odysseus moaned into the kiss as he held onto Luciano, keeping him above water. 

Luciano led them back to shore while holding onto their hands. Despite the cold water, the heat from the kiss sent enough blood to their dicks to leave them hard. Their erections bounced across their thighs as they reached the shore, and they started to press their bodies together with Luciano in the middle. 

Their hands went everywhere, touching every bit of flesh and squeezing their muscles. Nails dug into their skin. Kisses dotted their bodies. And erections slid across their thighs and asses. Luciano pressed on their shoulders, pushing them down to their knees. They took the hint as they got to work on pleasuring him. William began to suck Luciano’s dick, while Odysseus spread Luciano’s ass cheeks and started to rim him. The feel of their lips and tongues made Luciano curl his toes into the grass while he ran his fingers through their hair. His moans echoed in the woods, but they were far enough from the house and the village that no one would hear them.

Luciano bit his lip when he felt William deepthroat him as Odysseus’s tongue penetrated him. William’s head bobbed as he would alternate from taking Luciano down to the base then leave only the tip in his mouth. William’s tongue lapped around, touching the head of the penis and the inside of the foreskin. Meanwhile, they could hear the smacking of Odysseus’s mouth as he continued to tongue fuck Luciano. Odysseus would tease the hole with the tip of his tongue before pushing more of his tongue inside. They showed no mercy. His moans got louder while he cursed himself for not doing this sooner.

Odysseus started stroking his cock, coating his fingers with his pre-cum when he got an idea. He stopped rimming Luciano and got up on his feet. He whispered into Luciano’s ear about using his fingers next, which Luciano agreed too. Luciano grabbed William’s head the moment he felt Odysseus’s index finger pushing its way inside him. 

William pulled off from Luciano’s dick. He wiped the saliva from his face when he got up to kiss Luciano. “Ready for the both of us?” he whispered.

Luciano shook his head as he wrapped his arms around William’s neck. “You promised. I got to fuck you next.”

William smirked. “I did.” He kissed Luciano once more before getting down on his hands and knees. He stuck his ass out and wiggled it a little too. “It’s been a while. You need to kiss it first.” They chuckled. Odysseus took his finger out of Luciano so that he could get closer. Luciano breathed cool air against William’s hole, making William moan a little before Luciano started to rim him too. Luciano would copy what Odysseus did to him, which William appeared to enjoy based on his moaning.

Meanwhile, Odysseus got on his knees to continue fingering Luciano. He added another finger to stretch Luciano’s hole. Luciano moaned into William’s ass. The added vibrations sent chills down William’s spine as he started to stroke his dick.

Their moans echoed. 

Odysseus leaned over and kissed Luciano’s neck while watching as Luciano rimmed William. He enjoyed seeing William’s submissive side. He hadn’t seen William on all fours in a while, which reminded him that he would need to take a turn after they defeated Ometechu. For tonight, all he needed was to fuck Luciano.

Odysseus tugged onto Luciano’s hair, prompting a moan from him. Odysseus raised his eyebrows as he hadn’t expected Luciano to like pain. “You ready?” he whispered. Luciano nodded as he wiggled his ass against Odysseus’s dick. Odysseus didn’t hesitate; he began to slip the tip inside of Luciano. The saliva and the pre-cum being more than enough for Luciano, who pushed back against Odysseus to take the thick dick inside of him.

Luciano pressed back with Odysseus wrapping his arms around his chest. “Fuck!” Luciano moaned from the dick inside of him, but he got louder when he felt William stroking him too. William surprised Luciano as he wiggled back until Luciano’s dick was against his ass. “I didn’t forget about you,” said Luciano as he smacked William’s ass. 

“Good,” William moaned as he felt Luciano penetrate him too. 

Their moaning got louder, especially for Luciano, as he got to experience fucking from both ends. He had Odysseus jabbing his prostate while he had William’s anal muscles massaging his dick. His position in the middle meant that he would take control of the speed of the sex as he wiggled his hips to please his lovers.

“Fuck!” They screamed. Luciano lost his mind while between them. William’s eyes rolled back as he found himself impressed with Luciano’s stamina. And Odysseus moaned from Luciano’s tightness. It didn’t take much for Luciano and Odysseus to reach the edge, but William needed a bit more persuading. While keeping himself upright, William tried to reach for his dick only to feel Odysseus’s rough hand on it. William bit his bottom lip as that was all that he needed. Their moans deepened. Luciano would cum first as he slammed into William’s ass. Odysseus would cum next as he squeezed onto Luciano’s chest and picked up the speed as he continued to stroke William. The added speed made William’s legs wobble as he started to cum on the grass. 

They stayed locked in that position for a moment. They began to pull away and cleaned themselves off before collapsing onto the grass. They kept close to each other as they stared up to the stars with their fingers interlocked. 

“I love you,” said Luciano. He didn’t need to say their names as they already knew he meant the both of them. It brought smiles to their faces. 

“I love you,” said Odysseus while he looked at them.

William smirked as he wanted to say it now too. Not out of obligation but out of compassion for them. “I love you.” 

They laid by the grass for a few more minutes before finally getting dressed and returning to the house for some proper rest. They would need all the rest that they could get as they knew they likely wouldn’t get any sleep again until after defeating Ometechu. 

*~*

Leaving Santa Cecilia proved more difficult then Luciano thought. Luciano didn’t feel compelled to stay out of some devotion to his world but instead didn’t want to let Odysseus and William leave to fight Ometechu. He didn’t want to see them go, but he knew that they had no other choice. They didn’t have the time to search for the X-Blade when Ometechu destroyed every world that he touched. 

To make every second count, Luciano led Brendan and Thomas to Twilight Town. They sailed across the Ocean’s Between with hope in their hearts that they could find the X-Blade before Ometechu could kill their partners. 

Luciano clung onto the Combined Keyblade while searching the stars. He touched his chest with a gloved hand. The armor did nothing to mask the sound of his heart pounding hard against his chest. All it did was remind him of the dangers that the others faced. “We have to hurry, he whispered. “They’re counting on me not to fail. I have to prove myself.”

Brendan and Thomas sailed closer as they approached the coordinates of Twilight Town. They mentioned to Luciano that they should prepare for planetary entry only for them to experience an interruption.

A blinding flash of Light manifested in front of them. For a moment, they feared that Ometechu found them first and that everything would be for not. However, the Light would manifest as something else. Instead of facing Ometechu, the Light shaped itself into an island of a world that floated in the sea of stars. And on this island stood a bent tower with smaller towers jutting out from its sides. 

They gasped when they noticed the stars and crescent moon painted onto the green roof. They found Yen Sid’s tower. Or, it found them. 

Luciano felt tears trickling down his face. They had a chance now. He wasted no time in propelling himself towards the tower with Thomas and Brendan chasing after him.

The tower welcomed their presence. It used the magic locked away to pull them into its orbit with another blinding flash of Light, causing them to land on the surface of the world. Their feet touched the grassy field, and they saw the dozens of trees that surrounded the tower. They deactivated their Keyblade Armor since they no longer needed it as they didn’t send any dangers here and could breathe the air. 

“Come on!” Luciano said, rushing towards the tower’s doors.

“Wait!” said Brendan.

Thomas nodded. “There might be traps!”

They caught up to Luciano as he started to open the doors. A vortex of blue magic pulled them inside the tower before they even could process what happened. Within the blink of the eye, they appeared on the highest floor of the tower. There, they found themselves standing in a plain chamber with multiple bookshelves filled to the brim with books. They could see out into the oceans of stars from the crescent moon and star-shaped windows. 

And at the center of the room, they found a dusty table where a single tome rested.

The tome had a bluish-gray cover that appeared worn and brittle from age. Its golden pages turned yellow from the lack of proper maintenance. However, none of that mattered as Luciano focused on the cover itself. On the cover was a chain of white markings. Most formed boxes and lines to help make the tome itself stand out, but at the center stood a familiar sigil: a heart with five spikes on the bottom, an angel wing on one side of the heart, and a devil’s wing on the opposite side.

Luciano nearly wept as he reached to touch it. “We did it. We found it,” he whispered. “The Book of Prophecies.”

Before Luciano could touch the book, a ghostly hand manifested to block him. They screamed and jumped back as they saw the ghostly figure of a bearded, ancient-looking man that suddenly appeared before them. The ghostly man stood there with a blue robe and a pointed, wizard’s hat that bore stars and crescent moons covering his head.

Brendan summoned Gula’s Keyblade as an instinct. Luckily, Thomas managed to keep Brendan from attacking the ghost.

“Master Yen Sid?” asked Thomas.

The ghost nodded. “So, you finally come. Children of the Primes.”

Luciano gulped. The last thing he expected was to encounter the ghost of an old Keyblade Master, but he should’ve handled it better considering all the weird things he’s encountered. “Master Yen Sid, we need the Book. It’ll help us find the X-Blade so that we can defeat Ometechu,” he said calmly.

“Will it?” Yen Sid chuckled as he removed his hand from the book. “Tell me, reincarnation of Supria, why do you desire the Book of Prophecies? You could always use your powers to create one or recall these lost prophecies. Especially if you seek to distort the balance between Light and Darkness.”

“I don’t!” Luciano found himself shouting at Yen Sid’s insinuation. “I don’t want to distort the balance; I want to fix it before Ometechu kills everyone! Ometechu is Light, but he doesn’t want to use his power to protect anyone. He only seeks control.” Luciano’s voice got louder. Streaks of Darkness and Light flashed across his body as his eyes turned gray. “The people don’t deserve to suffer. They should live as they are. Free from Ometechu’s control.”

Yen Sid smiled as he stepped away from the table. “I see now why Supria chose to sacrifice Ventus.” He started to stroke his beard. “Even with all his powers, Supria couldn’t count on his reincarnation being pure enough to fight Ometechu for the right reasons with just any sacrifice. He needed Ventus’s kindness to guide you.” 

Yen Sid grabbed the Book of Prophecy, then handed it to Luciano. Luciano would accept the book with his Darkness and Light retreating into his heart. “I’ve reviewed its contents for myself. I’ve known for some time that Ometechu would return and have done all that I could to keep this tower hidden from those who would exploit the Book's power.”

Brendan and Thomas joined Luciano as they glimpsed its content. Their eyes became almost glued to the pages of the countless notes that Supria left behind over the realms and his numerous prophecies. 

“The Book is something you must protect,” continued Yen Sid. “Long ago, Supria and his siblings used it in conjunction with the X-Blade to banish Ometechu.”

Brendan tilted his head to face Yen Sid. “And the X-Blade? Where is it?”

“In a world beyond this one. Guarded by Sora. Or at least a version of him.”

They squinted their eyes as they tried to solve the riddle. Their first thoughts took them to Roxas, but they knew that Roxas died decades ago. Then, they considered Xion only to face the same issue. Yen Sid’s words made no sense to them, and they would express such confusion too.

Yen Sid nodded. They didn’t have time to solve riddles, not when the Realm of Light faced extermination from its god. “Go to Disney Castle. There, the royals will guide you to the Data World where the data copy of Sora awaits with the X-Blade.” 

Light flashed across the room as Yen Sid’s ghost departed from the realm once more.

Luciano pressed the Book of Prophecies against his chest and nodded. They had their mission and knew exactly where to find the X-Blade now. “Let’s hurry,” he said to Brendan and Thomas. “The sooner we retrieve the X-Blade, the sooner we can help the others fight Ometechu.” Brendan and Thomas nodded as they followed Luciano out of the tower to rush at full speed to Disney Castle.

*~*

The portal opened with William’s team stepping onto the soil of the Kingdom of Corona. They landed near the ruined tower that once held Princess Rapunzel prisoner.

After Luciano’s team left to search for Yen Sid’s tower, they focused on tracking Ometechu. They detected two more worlds had disappeared since yesterday and managed to find Ometechu’s signal approaching this world. They thought it a miracle that they managed to get here before Ometechu did, not that it made them feel more confident about this confrontation.

Doron took a deep breath. He remembered finding this tower once when he was a kid. He liked playing around here since it was secluded enough that he could get away from the worries of home. And now, he’d have to defend his world before Ometechu could devour it.

Troilus went over to Doron. He patted Doron’s shoulder. “Do you want to try and find your family before it's too late? You might not get another chance.”

Doron huffed. “I’ve forgotten about them.” He swung his arm to summon Ava’s Keyblade to his hand. “Besides, we have bigger problems to worry about. It’s only a matter of time before Ometechu finds us.”

“What’s the plan?” asked Odysseus as he summoned Ira’s Keyblade. “This is a god that we’re going up against. Not a Keyblade Master like Layla or Virgil.”

William smirked. “Leave the heavy lifting to me. You haven’t practiced embracing your inner Darkness as I have, nor do your hearts carry the level of sins that I inherited from Luxu.” He clenched his fist as Gazing Eye materialized. 

Troilus shook his head. Invi’s Keyblade came to his hand as he looked at William. “So, you’ll have us here doing nothing?”

“No. You’ll just have to wait for my command,” said William. 

“You, idiots! Turn back now.” They gasped as they saw Kurai stepping from a Corridor of Darkness. He had Way to the Dawn with him as he looked ready for a fight too. “The others are missing, and you are still without the X-Blade. You can’t mean to fight Ometechu now,” said Kurai. “You’re not ready.”

Odysseus shrugged. “We’ll never be ready. This is a god. Even if Luciano shows up within the next minute and has the X-Blade with him, it might not be enough. All we can do is give it everything we got.”

“But you shouldn’t rush into this fight!” warned Kurai. “I’ve kept track of Ometechu. He’s devoured six worlds and the hearts of everyone there. He is stronger than when you first met.”

“Six!” Doron gulped. “I didn’t even see that many signals disappeared when I tracked him. Maybe we should pull back.”

However, a golden light exploded across the sky. William covered his eyes before he became blind, as did everyone else. “Too late for that.” William pointed above them, where they witnessed Ometechu arrive. “The tyrant is here. And he doesn’t look happy.”

Ometechu floated in the sky and appeared pleased with the scenery. He licked his lips as he floated closer to them, his body radiating a golden aura that gave them the feeling of breathing fire. “Lagna and Ori. We meet again.” Ometechu smiled when he turned to Troilus and Doron. “Ah, Zilv and Fligra are here too. But I’m missing three children. Where are Supria, Norta, and Lamra?” The way that Ometechu spoke and the tugging at their hearts told them of who was who. Troilus recalled the name Zilv, while Doron felt a connection to Filgra. Whereas, they also knew that Thomas was Norta, and Brendan was Lamra.

The connection to their past lives only became stronger with the Foretellers’ Keyblades in their hands.

William disregarded the connections as he focused on their primary objective. He raised Gazing Eye and glared at Ometechu. “That’s none of your business! We’re your problem!” He tossed Gazing Eye into the air, then flicked his wrist. Gazing Eye floated in midair with twelve copies of it materializing. He wasted no time in launching Gazing Eye and its copies at Ometechu to bombarded Ometechu with raw Darkness.

Ometechu’s left eye twitched. A golden barrier emerged around him, blocking William’s attack. However, Gazing Eye proved more persistent. Gazing Eye pushed against Ometechu’s barrier, with William calling upon more Darkness from his heart. Slowly, Gazing Eye started to pierce the barrier and left even Ometechu astonished. 

An explosion of Light and Dark energy rippled across the field. Sections of the rocky valley began to crumble, and the water from the waterfall splashed everywhere. They watched as Ometechu crashed to the ground but managed to land on his feet. A few scrapes covered Ometechu’s body, but he quickly undid the damage before anyone could notice.

Ometechu growled. “ _Children_. Turn back before I change my mind.”

William summoned Gazing Eye once more. “Go to hell!” He charged after Ometechu, and everyone took that as their signal. Odysseus, Doron, and Troilus followed William’s lead as they showed no hesitation in confronting Ometechu.

Kurai closed his eyes and shook his head before raising his Keyblade. He jumped into action too as he would assure that they’d survive the fight. 

All they could do now was hit Ometechu with everything they had and pray that Luciano arrived soon with the X-Blade.


	18. Mark of Binding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy! I wanted to let you know that I'm about to start working on the final chapter, so you should expect that to come out Monday. I'll probably post Chapter 19 tomorrow, depending on my mood and how much time I have for edits. 
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated.

Luciano failed to make contact with William’s team, so they knew that their comrades likely were in the middle of a battle against Ometechu. They needed to act quickly.

Rushing from Yen Sid’s Tower to Disney Castle, Luciano’s team made it there in record time. They sailed from the Ocean’s Between and landed in the courtyard where they found the white walls and blue towers of the lopsided-castle. They also found themselves surrounded by an odd marching band shaped by the hedge. The center of the courtyard event featured a bushy replica of the castle. 

They deactivated their armor and considered where they should go to call on assistance when they heard a yell. “You’re here!”

A tall figure descended from the white staircase. The figure got closer with them seeing a mouse-like man with black fur and a creamy face. He wore a set of blue robes with a golden crown on his head. He took a deep breath as he greeted them with a smile. “We saw the signal of your Keyblades from our monitors. You’re here to come to the Data World, aren’t you?”

Luciano gasped. “You know?”

The mouse-man nodded. “Yes! Oh! Forgive me. I am King Morty. I rule Disney Castle beside my brother, King Ferdy.” King Morty made sure to shake each of their hands quickly. “Our uncle, the late King Mickey, warned us that this day might come after he reviewed the Book of Prophecies. A day when the worlds suddenly start to vanish and the Light would grow too bright. He said that Keyblade Wielders would come here seeking the X-blade to set things right.”

“That’s why we’re here!” Brendan smiled. “Please, Your Majesty. Show us the way to the Data World. Our comrades are battling the Prime Light and desperately need our help.”

“Of course. Follow me.” King Morty led them to the castle. They ran across the tiled hallway, down to the castle’s library. There, an old computer rested on a wooden table at the center of the library. The monitors flashed countless zeros and ones as it preserved the information of the Data World created from the digitization of Jiminy Cricket’s Journal.

King Morty took a seat at the computer. “My brother is working on our fortifications as a precaution should the Prime Light find us next.” He started to key in a few commands to the computer. In front of them, the floor began to split open as a platform appeared that began to activate itself. “This platform can digitize you and transport you into the Data World. It should be possible for you to retrieve the X-blade from there.”

They nodded and started to make their way to the platform when King Morty stopped them. 

“Ah! I’d advise only one of you to go.” King Morty gulped. “The Data World is prone to corruption and other issues. It worked fine when Master Sora entered it, but I’m not sure we can afford to take that risk in our present situation.”

Luciano agreed. He went into his satchel to grab the Book of Prophecies, which he handed over to Thomas and Brendan. “Review the book for everything related to Ometechu and how he was defeated the last time. I’ll move as quickly as I can to get the X-blade.”

Thomas nodded as he took the Book. “Be careful in there, Lucio. We can’t afford to lose you again.” He backed away with Brendan following him. They waited next to King Morty as he initiated a set of commands.

Luciano took a deep breath as he stepped onto the platform. “I’m ready.”

“May your heart be your guiding key.” King Morty initiated the command. 

A flash of green light arose from the platform and washed over Luciano. His body rapidly began to crumble into pure data as zeros and ones flashed over him. He vanished from the platform with Thomas and Brendan nervous until the computer screen shifted. They could see the digitized Luciano floating in the datascape with King Morty directing Luciano to the deepest reaches of the Data World. 

Thomas handed the Book to Brendan for research. His skills were better suited for the computer as he helped supervise King Morty. Brendan would take a seat at a nearby table and open the Book of Prophecies to search its vast contents. They all needed to move quickly as they didn’t know the outcome of the battle at the Kingdom of Corona, but their friends’ silence told them enough. 

Dangerous times lurked ahead of them. And they needed to prepare themselves for the worst.

*~*

Explosions rippled across the field surrounding Rapunzel’s Tower.

Ometechu glided over the fields. He heaved as he looked up to find William and Kurai chasing after him again. He flicked his wrist to unleash a chain of lightning that ripped the ground apart and sent them flying towards the stream. The attack eliminated two threats, but he still had other combatants around him. 

Troilus managed to sneak in close to Ometechu. He had Invi’s Keyblade and Abyssal Tide in hand as he slashed Ometechu with all his might. Bands of chilling magic rippled across the air that burned Ometechu’s skin. Troilus swung Abyssal Tide only for Ometechu to catch it. Ometechu slammed his fist into Troilus’s chest and sent Troilus sailing across the field.

A ring of fire ignited around Ometechu. He looked over his shoulder as Odysseus descended from the sky with Ira’s Keyblade. Ometechu caught the Keyblade with both hands and managed to prevent Odysseus from getting any closer. However, Odysseus bore a smirk. Ira’s Keyblade vanished, which allowed Odysseus to get close enough to kick Ometechu’s face before jumping away from the fire.

Ometechu stumbled out of the flames and covered his face. The pain left him too distracted to notice Doron. 

Doron ran up Rapunzel’s Tower to build his momentum. He jumped from the tip of the tower and summoned Ava’s Keyblade. He made sure to get closer to Ometechu before unleashing his magic. Dozens of razor-sharp petals manifested around him that he rained down upon Ometechu. The petals struck Ometechu like hail that ripped open his skin. Countless wounds covered Ometechu’s body that left golden Light rising from his body, creating the illusion that he was Light solidified. 

Doron landed near Odysseus and got a good enough look at Ometechu to realize how that appeared odd. He didn’t have time to uncover the meaning when thirteen Gazing Eyes sailed after Ometechu. Ometechu covered himself as the Keyblades exploded into a volley of Darkness. The shadows further burning his skin and forcing him to drop to his knees.

William and Kurai rejoined them with Troilus not too far behind. They recovered enough from Ometechu’s last attack that they could gear themselves up for the next round.

But they focused on how vulnerable Ometechu seemed. They only now appeared to have the upper hand despite the fight starting with Ometechu easily brushing them aside. The scorch marks and rubble all around the field served as evidence enough of their previous failed attempts. It didn’t make sense that now they could hurt the god.

William slung Gazing Eye over his shoulder. “Looks like my Darkness is stronger than God’s Light.”

Kurai shook his head. “That isn’t it. It should be obvious to you why we’re still alive.” Kurai raised Way to the Dawn, pointing it at Ometechu. Ometechu didn’t appear to pay them any attention as he took several deep breaths as he sealed the wounds on his body. “Look at him. What do you see?”

“An injured god?” said Troilus. 

“Closer.”

Odysseus squinted his eyes. He could see Light dripping from Ometechu’s wounds like blood would a mortal. “Is he bleeding out?”

“In a sense,” said Kurai. “Ometechu’s form isn’t natural. Not like a true body since he no longer has one. He is like a heart floating in a suit of armor, but the armor is covered in cracks. What does that tell you?”

“That he isn’t at full power?” said William.

“That he’s wasting more energy!” Doron gasped as he picked up on Kurai’s clues. It now made sense as he looked closer at Ometechu to see why they managed to last this long. “He’s like a broken dam. Instead of water, it’s raw energy that’s pouring from him.” He looked at Kurai. “This form. Is it making him waste more energy than he can generate and store?”

Kurai nodded. “For every world that he devours, he patches some of the cracks. But he hasn’t fed enough, which means we can stand a chance so long as we keep bombarding him with Darkness. At least until Luciano and the others return with the X-blade to deliver the final blow.”

Odysseus swung Ira’s Keyblade as he looked at William and Kurai. “I can see our Darkness being enough to do the deed. But can Troilus and Doron keep up?”

“You say that like we’re not standing here.” Troilus ignored the urge to strike Odysseus. Instead, he gripped onto Invi’s Keyblade with his hands. “Darkness isn’t that hard to wield. It basically boils down to you trusting your instincts more and giving in to your rage.”

“It’s far more complicated than that,” corrected Doron. “But you’re on the right track. I think we can hit Ometechu hard enough to put him out of commission for a bit.”

William twisted Gazing Eye. “In that case, let’s hit the bastard hard! It’s showtime.”

“Right!” They charged after Ometechu and called upon the Darkness from the depths of their hearts.

Meanwhile, Ometechu’s eyes started to glow. The cracks on his skin sealed themselves as he recovered enough of his strength. He pushed himself onto his feet when he heard them coming closer. “Do you think I am that weak?” said Ometechu. “I will not fall before such childish attempts!”

William slashed Gazing Eye across the air, manifesting a band of Dark energy that raced across the field. Kurai extended his hand out to unleash a Dark Firaga. Odysseus slammed Ira’s Keyblade to the ground to create a pillar of Dark energy that acted as a shockwave. Doron twirled Ava’s Keyblade with a storm of flower petals bound by a thread of Darkness that he launched at Ometechu. And Troilus took a deep breath to embrace his Darkness as he held Invi’s Keyblade above his head to create a barrage of Dark icicles. 

The combination of their Darkness-based attacks harmonized and could do major damage to Ometechu.

Ometechu held his hands up to create a Light-based force field. Their attacks collided against the barrier, pushing Ometechu back a few feet. However, Ometechu wouldn’t allow them to win. He took a step forward and released his Light to shatter their attacks. A shockwave of Light rippled across the field that struck them. 

The Light knocked them from their feet and left them half-conscious, while Ometechu laughed over them. 

Ometechu began to float. He stared at his hands to assess the damage he sustained and the level of energy wasted. “Sleep, children. You’ve done your part.” Ometechu turned to find the outline of the castle in the distance. “I have much to devour.”

*~*

Green zeroes and ones flashed in front of Luciano’s face as his digitized body descended to nothing. He didn’t know what to expect in this Data World, but so far, none of it was what he imagined. He found himself clueless if he was going anywhere, and he couldn’t hear King Morty, Thomas, or Brendan, so he started to feel all alone again like he did in the Realm of Darkness.

Luciano shook his head. This wasn’t the Realm of Darkness. This was something different. And he wasn’t lost; he needed to focus on his purpose.

“Help me out, Sora,” whispered Luciano. “The Realm of Light needs us. We can’t let everyone down.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, or at least he thought he did. He didn’t trust his five senses in this digital reality. But he did trust his heart. 

A flash of white Light appeared in front of Luciano. He gasped when the Light became a black block that bore flashing, green lights. He touched the box with it glowing brighter until it vanished. Then, reality itself began to change too. 

The emptiness shifted into the data of a world that he never visited but knew. 

Luciano stood on a white, sandy beach. The ocean roared as the waves gently brushed against his feet. He looked behind him to see palm trees and other lush fauna growing around numerous tree houses. The island appeared cozy to him, but he knew its history and how it felt suffocating for many.

“Destiny Islands.” Luciano smirked. He could see why Master Sora would leave the X-blade here.

“Oh! You’re new.”

Luciano jumped. He spun around to find a spiky-haired boy with bright blue eyes in a red-jumpsuit and white coat. The boy had crazy big, yellow shoes that appeared unnatural for someone of his height. “You,” said Luciano. “Master Sora?”

“Master? Wait. The real me is a master. Nah! I’m just the data version.” Data-Sora moved his hands behind his head to stretch. The sound of children’s laughter echoed in the distance. The laughter distracted Data-Sora for a moment before he looked to Luciano again. “So, you know the other me? Are you friends?”

“No. I’ve never met the real you,” said Luciano. “The other you passed away decades ago.”

“Really?” Data-Sora frowned. “That’s why he hasn’t visited in so long.” He shook his head. He started to smile again as he walked over to Luciano. “If you’re here and the other me is gone, then I guess you’re here for the thing that other me told me to look after.”

Luciano nodded. “The X-blade. I’m Luciano, a Keyblade Warrior. Yen Sid told us that Master Sora left it with you. I beg of you; please let me have the X-blade! There is a god named Ometechu that is attacking the worlds. He is devouring every one of them to regain his power so that he can remake the universe in his image. The X-blade is the only thing capable of stopping him before everyone dies! And my boyfriends and friends are facing him now, buying me time to get the X-blade before its too late.”

Data-Sora grabbed onto Luciano’s shoulders. Although, a foot smaller, Data-Sora showed so much confidence and wisdom as he looked Luciano in the eyes. “I’m not going to fight you for it or test you. Sora told me something bad would happen someday and that a boy that looked like you would come looking for the X-blade. So, it’s yours.”

A gasp escaped Luciano’s mouth. He wanted to cry as he expected nothing but obstacles to get in the way only to find that Data-Sora had no intention of stopping him. “Really?” Luciano asked. “You would give me the X-blade just like that?”

“Just like that!” Data-Sora stepped back and reached behind him. His hand returned with a large Keyblade in his hand. The X-blade appeared as two Kingdom Keys intersecting with crystal wings growing on the side. The blade of a sword extended above the Kingdom Keys as a mix of gold, blue, and yellow. And dangling as the Keychain was another pair of Kingdom Keys that crossed over a heart.

Data-Sora freely handed the X-blade over to Luciano. “It’s all yours! No questions asked.” Data-Sora chuckled a little. “But...I do have a condition.”

Luciano took hold of the X-blade. “And that is?”

“Visit me.” Data-Sora smiled. “I have a lot of friends here, but I’m always open to making new ones! It’s been ages since someone new visited.”

Luciano chuckled as he nodded his head. “Okay. I promise to visit you. After I defeat Ometechu that I'll visit again, and I’ll bring my friends too!”

Data-Sora cheered. “Great! I can’t wait.” The cheers of the other children got louder. He looked to the distance before reaching out to shake Luciano’s hand. “Bye, Luciano! I look forward to meeting you again!”

“Bye, Sora.” Luciano watched as Data-Sora rushed to play with his friends. He looked at the X-blade and felt himself starting to cry. He had what he needed to help everyone and defeat Ometechu.

Luciano was about to make the call to leave the Data World when he felt a finger tap him on the shoulder. Luciano turned to find a figure in a Black Coat standing behind him.

Luciano gasped as his instincts had him swing the X-blade only for the ancient Keyblade to phase past the Black Coat. 

The Black Coat shook his head. “Really? Not even asking for a name? You didn’t even hesitate to go for a kill shot!” The Black Coat wiggled his finger at Luciano. “So rude! Is this your way at telling me that you’re mad at us?”

Luciano squinted his eyes. “Us?”

The Black Coat leaned in closer. While not removing his hood, he got close enough for Luciano to see a crystal, bright blue-eye. Only one eye, not two. Luciano gasped as he dropped his arm with the X-blade dangling from his fingers. “Now, you see me.” He glanced at Luciano’s arm. “Careful with that. It isn’t the original. But it’s still important.” 

“Supria,” whispered Luciano. “But how? I’m...we’re.” He shook his head and groaned. He clicked his tongue. “A data copy. How did you pull off leaving a data version of yourself without anyone knowing?”

“I have my tricks,” said Data-Supria. “Not referring to me as the Master of Masters. I see you know my true name. Did Ometechu rat me out?”

“The Prime Darkness,” said Luciano. “I got lost in the Realm of Darkness. He explained everything to me about you, your siblings, and Ometechu.”

Data-Supria nodded. “Then, you know what the scales. Good. That means you’re ready.” Data-Supria touched Luciano’s shoulder. “Don’t hesitate to do what you must. The Light isn’t always benevolent. Sometimes we must do awful things to make good things happen. Do you have my book?”

“We do.”

“Good.” Data-Supria pulled away as he folded his hands behind his back. “This is all on you now, kiddo. I think you can pull it off,” he said. “And...I gotta ask. The family? They’re all with you too.”

Luciano nodded. He found it odd to discuss this with the data version of his past life, but he had learned to roll with the punches. “We’re together. Although, we’re not a family. We’re friends. Some of us are more than friends.”

Data-Supria chuckled. “New lives. Different rules. I don’t care what it looks like, all that matters is that you’re all together. That means all the awful things I did was worth it in the end.” Data-Supria started to walk away from Luciano before stopping for a moment. He turned to Luciano for one last bit of advice. “Treasure your friends. My biggest mistake was not realizing how much I loved my family until they were gone. Then, all I wanted to do was bring them back.”

“Anything else?” Luciano asked as he didn’t know what else to expect from the Data-Supria.

“Hm...punch Ometechu for me. He always was a shitty parent.” 

Data-Supria vanished into the datascape, leaving Luciano alone. While Luciano didn’t feel particularly enlightened, he felt enough emotion from Supria’s data copy to better understand his past self. Luciano took a deep breath as he raised the X-blade. “Time to go home.”

Light and Darkness surrounded Luciano as he would disappear from the Data World.

*~*

Instead of appearing as zeroes and ones, Luciano returned to the Realm of Light in a flash of Light and Darkness. He returned to the castle’s library to find an ecstatic Thomas, Brendan, and King Morty. He quickly felt the weight of the X-blade in his hand, proving that the mission was a success.

Luciano smiled. He almost called for them to search for their friends when the ground began to quake. 

King Morty keyed in a few commands to the computer to look beyond the Data World to the castle’s defenses. “Oh, boy!”

“What?” Brendan grabbed the Book of Prophecies to protect it.

Thomas stared at the monitor. “We got incoming.”

Before they could ask what Thomas meant, the ground quaked once more. They heard an explosion and smell smoke in the air. They rushed from the library to see that part of the castle’s walls collapsed. Golden light radiated across the skies that left nearly everyone blind who attempted to view it.

Luciano raised the X-blade. A dome of energy manifested that shielded them from the blinding effects of the Light so that they could get closer. They rushed to the rumble to find a smoking crater in the courtyard. The landscape burned to nothing, and other sections of the castle started to collapse, but that wasn’t the most shocking part.

Ometechu floated in the sky. He stared at this world, sizing it up to satisfy his growing hunger. “There is a great Light here. It feels almost like a piece of myself.” He closed his eyes. “The Cornerstone.”

Meanwhile, William started to push himself from the crater. Odysseus helped Troilus to his feet, while Doron and Kurai stumbled. Their clothes had numerous tares. They had scrapes all over their bodies with blood pouring from the wounds, except for Kurai since he didn’t have blood.

“Guys!” shouted Thomas. 

They tried to smile, but the pain proved too much for them to express any joy. They mumbled that they failed to save the Kingdom of Corona but couldn’t say much else. Their eyes did marvel when they saw the X-blade in Luciano’s hand.

William stumbled into Luciano. He took a deep breath to steady himself and bite back the pain. “You found it!”

“I did.” Luciano held onto William, while he looked over to Odysseus to see that he moved a little better.

Odysseus groaned as he touched his ribs. “Great! Now, let’s kill this bastard.”

“No!” King Morty looked at them. “You must leave. Most of you are too injured to keep fighting. You need time to recover.”

“But this world!” said Brendan.

“Let it fall.” King Morty frowned as he hated the thought of condemning himself and his people to death. “At your current state, this god can defeat you. If you hope to vanquish him, then you’ll need all your strength. Tend to your injuries then face him. We can’t afford to let you fail. Let us do what we can to slow him down.”

Thomas gulped. He held onto Doron as he started to go limp in his arms. He pulled the half-conscious Doron closer to keep him upright. “King Morty is right. We’ll only get once chance against Ometechu. We can’t afford to face him at anything less than our best.”

Luciano nodded. He pointed the X-blade at the hallway to create a Corridor of Darkness. He hadn’t expected to do so that easily on his first try but wouldn’t complain. “Thank you, King Morty. We won’t forget your sacrifice.”

King Morty smiled even as he started to cry. “Save the worlds. And I’ll consider us even.”

Luciano agreed. He helped William to the Corridor of Darkness with the others following close behind. He would turn his head in the direction of the library then frowned. He couldn’t keep his promise to Data-Sora after all. Despite not being a real person, Luciano felt like he betrayed Data-Sora, but knew that they didn’t have any other choice.

They stepped into the Corridor of Darkness with it closing behind them as Ometechu would begin his assault on Disney Castle. 

*~*

Even with the X-blade, it took Luciano time to heal the injured. 

The Corridor of Darkness brought them to the empty loft in Agrabah that the Proteas once used. It felt like ages since they were last here, almost like a different lifetime when it wasn’t that long ago. Still, the absence of the Proteas or anyone else to apply any form of maintenance ensured that the loft appeared like a total disaster. More sand covered the floors then usual, the walls crumbled, and the sheets that covered the openings were left torn.

They sat on the ground as Luciano finished the healing spells. Everyone started to look and feel a little better even as they suffered from the bitter sting of failure. 

Doron stared at his Gummi Phone then sighed. “Disney’s Castle lost its signal too. That means they’re gone.”

“But not forgotten,” said Thomas. 

Troilus sighed. “So, what’s next?”

Brendan opened the Book of Prophecies. He flipped the pages until he found exactly what he wanted. “We bind a god.” He pointed to the page so that everyone would pay attention. “I didn’t get that much time to do research, but here’s how Supria and his siblings did it last time. Supria created the first Book of Prophecies around the time that the war between the Primes started. His siblings would use their lifeforce and the original X-blade to break Ometechu’s body so that they could trap him within the Book.”

Odysseus furrowed his eyes. “Within the Book? But he didn’t rise from a Book of Prophecies. He appeared from nowhere.”

“The essence of a god is too powerful to contain in one object. But the Book acted as a conduit because of its vast abilities such as recording future worlds. To put it simply, they used the Book to trap Ometechu, then the Book’s powers caused his essence to get scattered across the universe.”

“Great.” William leaned closer as he tried to read the Book but couldn’t quite decipher Supria’s handwriting. “How do we do that? Is Luciano supposed to slap Ometechu with the X-blade until he cries uncle? And if Supria’s siblings died binding Ometechu, what’ll keep us from suffering the same fate?”

Brendan smirked. “The Foretellers' Keyblades. Supria designed them to amplify our powers because he knew that Ometechu would return. He wanted to reduce the chances of us repeating the fate of his siblings.”

Luciano chuckled. He could hear Data-Supria bringing up how he failed to cherish his siblings when they were alive. He knew that the Foretellers’ Keyblades would help spare him from suffering as Supria did. “Excellent! So, Ometechu is weak to Darkness. We hit him with every bit of Darkness that we can until his guard is down. Then, I use the X-blade and the Book to bind him.”

“This is crazy,” said Doron.

Troilus grinned. “I love it! The next question is the battlefield. Where should we end a god’s life?”

“The Land of Departure.” Kurai folded his arms over his chest. He looked to everyone as he had reasons for wanting them to return there. “The Land of Departure is a nexus point between the Realm of Light and the Realm of Darkness. If we pervert the world with enough Darkness, then that should disrupt Ometechu’s powers. It’ll make it harder for him to consolidate his strength and should make it easier to bind him.”

William got up on his feet. “Then it’s decided. Unless there are any objections, to the Land of Departure we go.”

*~*

Instead of resting for the night at Agrabah, they rushed to the Land of Departure, as they knew they couldn’t afford to waste a single second. They relied on Luciano and the X-blade to bring them back to full strength. The X-blade did the trick, which meant that they could focus on the final battle. 

They found it odd that they were back here, to a land that they once knew as home. And now, it served as a war memorial to their greatest failure. Their rush to end a Keyblade War resulted in the revival of a god hellbent on destroying the universe.

They entered the deserted castle and found their way into the old throne room. Kurai described this spot as the location of this world's Keyhole. Kurai summoned Way to the Dawn. “Once we unleash Darkness upon the world, it will draw Ometechu here like a moth to a flame. We must act with absolute certainty. Understood?”

Their voices appeared as a mixture of “got it,” “understood,” and “right.” They summoned their Keyblades with Luciano taking the center position. Luciano turned the X-blade to the ground, bracing himself to stab it. Luciano took a deep breath then struck the X-blade to the ground with everyone following his example. They embraced their Darkness, allowing pillars of Dark energy to ascend to the ceiling.

And they wouldn’t have to wait long.

Within moments of them beginning the assault, the walls to the castle crumbled. An entire section of the castle got ripped from its joints and tossed aside. Ometechu floated into the throne room with his eyes boiling from fury.

“How dare you pervert this land!” hissed Ometechu. “You not only defy me, but you would destroy what is left of balance? Have you, miserable children, no shame? Is nothing sacred!”

Luciano pulled the X-blade from the ground and raised it at Ometechu. “Not when it involves you!”

Ometechu’s eyes widened. He didn’t notice that Luciano came into possession of the X-blade back at Disney Castle. Now that he saw it, he felt a tinge of fear since he knew what it could do to him. “You don’t even know what you wield, child. Abandon the toy and this futile quest, and I may spare you.”

William huffed. “Fuck off!”

“So be it.” Ometechu’s body began to fade. Instead of it making them feel like they won, they knew that they wouldn’t get off that easy. As soon as they blinked, eight copies of Ometechu appeared from thin air. 

Odysseus smirked. “This got interesting.” 

The Ometechu copies targeted each of them, forcing them to split up and fight. The copies unleashed a barrage of Light bullets upon the throne room, but Luciano created a Dark Shield to cover them from the assault before they parted ways. 

Doron ran up a column to catch the attention of one. The copy tried to kick Doron only to miss. Rose petals gathered around Ava’s Keyblade with Doron taking a swing. He slashed the copy across the back, causing it to explode into dust. Meanwhile, Brendan blocked a blast of Light with Gula’s Keyblade. He huffed before charging after the copy. He ducked as the copy swung a blade of Light, then countered by stabbing the copy in the chest.

Thomas slid across the floor as a copy tried shooting him with more Light bullets. He returned fire as he swung Aced’s Keyblade to intercept the Light bullets with Darkness-based blasts. The explosions rippled across the throne room while Thomas jumped at the copy to cut off its head. A few feet away, Troilus would abandon his usual strategy of dual-wielding and focus on a kill shot. The copy created a pair of Light blades that it attempted to slam Troilus with only to miss. Troilus swung Invi’s Keyblade to break the blades before swinging it again across the copy’s chest.

Kurai created a fiery barrier as the copy crashed into him. The proximity gave Kurai an opening to strike. He warped the barrier around the copy before slashing its head with Way to the Dawn. As for Odysseus, he showed a surprising amount of grace he weaved away from the copy’s attacks. The Light blades flashed across the air, but Odysseus didn’t show any fear as he waited for the copy to expose itself. When the copy lunged further, then it should’ve, Odysseus took that as his chance to strike with Ira’s Keyblade to slice the copy in half.

William didn’t waste his energy in conjuring his copies of Gazing Eye. He focused on crushing the copy hard and fast. He swung Gazing Eye to slice the copy’s Light blades, leaving sparks bouncing across the floor. However, the copy wouldn’t stop summoning blades, so William decided to end its existence. He slashed another set before grabbing the copy’s head and igniting it in Dark flames.

Meanwhile, Luciano adjusted to wielding the X-blade in combat as he faced the final copy. He brushed the copy’s attacks aside as he used the X-blade’s weight to push the copy’s sword towards the ground then kicked the copy in the chest. With the copy stumbling back, Luciano swung the X-blade in a wide arc. Darkness manifested from the edge of the blade as it blasted the copy into nothing.

The ashes of the copies coalesced as Ometechu reformed himself. He started stumbling as such tricks took a great deal of strength, and he still hadn’t regained all the strength that he wasted the last time that they fought. 

Seeing how vulnerable Ometechu appeared, they knew that they still had a chance. Their plan could work.

William conjured his copies of Gazing Eye. He gathered them together to form a singular Keyblade that he launched after Ometechu. Odysseus would provide support as he encased Ira’s Keyblade in Darkness and swung it to join William’s attack. The energy from Ira’s Keyblade allowed the giant Gazing Eye to glow as more Darkness infused into it. Their assault blasted Ometechu, creating a massive explosion that shattered the remaining windows and left cracks along the remaining walls of the castle.

The smoke settled with Ometechu falling to his knees. 

“This is it!” shouted Luciano. “Our one chance! Assume the position!”

William led the others to circle Ometechu. They struck Gazing Eye and the Foretellers’ Keyblades to the ground. A ring of violet-colored energy manifested. Ometechu flinched from the Darkness as it left his injured body shivering. He looked up with his mouth hanging agape. He saw as Luciano handed the Book of Prophecies to Kurai and knew what they intended to do to him.

Ometechu grinned. “You’re not strong enough to do what my children did.”

Luciano raised the X-blade above his head. “You have no idea what we’re capable of accomplishing. Not that you ever will,” he said, firmly. “You may have created this realm, but it doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to everyone.”

Darkness flared around Luciano. The X-blade glimmered with Light from the energy that Luciano summoned. He pulled every ounce of strength that his body could muster as he joined everyone in concentration to bind Ometechu.

The pages of the Book of Prophecies began to glow too. Kurai pointed the Book at Ometechu as he didn’t know what to expect next. None of them did. They kept their thoughts on binding Ometechu, banishing him from the Realm of Light so that he couldn’t harm another soul.

The dark ring surrounding Ometechu began to darken. Ometechu howled as he felt something like knives digging into his skin. He slammed his fist to the ground with everything shaking beneath them, but they kept their positions. They wouldn’t budge in the slightest since they knew that any misstep could ruin everything.

“Bind this god!” shouted Luciano. “Bind him forevermore!”

“No!” roared Ometechu.

A wave of energy rippled from Ometechu. It pushed everyone off their feet except for Luciano. The dark ring shattered as the Gazing Eye and Foretellers’ Keyblades slid across the floor with their wielders. Kurai crashed into a column, and the Book of Prophecies bumped into a wall. Kurai moved to reclaim the Book as he tried once more to open it to bind Ometechu but struggled to move. Everyone struggled as they attempted to reclaim their Keyblades.

Meanwhile, Luciano’s eyes widened as he saw Ometechu back on his feet. Ometechu stumbled closer to Luciano with a wide grin spread across his face. All Luciano could see was a demented god wearing his father’s face. Ometechu would wrap his hand around Luciano’s neck as he grabbed onto the hilt of the X-blade too.

The Darkness and Light from the X-blade clashed. Luciano screamed as Ometechu’s body began to crumble. Ometechu’s ghostly silhouette would float into Luciano, forcing Luciano to serve as a vessel. 

Luciano couldn’t fight back. Ometechu’s essence entering Luciano’s body proved too great of a threat to resist. Everything faded to nothing for Luciano as Ometechu took control.

“Luciano!” shouted William and Odysseus. They felt horrified as they saw what Ometechu did to Luciano.

Ometechu blinked. He lowered his arms to stare at the X-blade then smiled as he touched his face. He didn’t change appearances as he maintained Luciano’s form now that he held ownership over Luciano’s body.

Ometechu struck the X-blade into the ground. “You failed, children. And now, you must pay the price.”

A burning wave of Light formed from Ometechu's body as he prepared to consume the Land of Departure, while in Luciano’s body.


	19. Mark of Slumber

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy! I am about halfway done with the final chapter so I might post it Sunday! We'll see how that goes.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter! 
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated.

“Luciano!” 

Their voices boomed across the throne room as they watched Ometechu take possession of Luciano’s body, which granted him ownership of the X-blade too. Despite their injuries, they knew that they couldn’t allow Ometechu to get away with it. They summoned their Keyblades and took charge. 

Everyone except for Kurai attacked Ometechu. They swung the Gazing Eye and Foretellers’ Keyblades, as they attempted to use every bit of Darkness in their hearts to separate Luciano from Ometechu. However, their injuries and Ometechu’s powers would prevent that from happening.

Ometechu raised the X-blade. A wall of golden energy manifested to prevent them from getting any closer. Ometechu smiled at them, with Luciano’s face. 

William growled. “You bastard!”

“I’ll kill you!” shouted Odysseus.

Ometechu laughed. “Upset, are you? Good. Now, you know my pain! The pain of loss. Of Betrayal!” Ometechu clenched onto the X-blade’s hilt. “Don’t worry, children. I am a benevolent god. And I shall end your suffering!”

“No!” Kurai’s voice echoed across the throne room.

Kurai threw the Book of Prophecies to the ground. The pages flew open with the Book beginning to glow. Kurai flicked his wrist as he focused his thoughts on transporting them to somewhere safer. 

Their bodies began crumbled into orbs of Darkness that retreated into the Book of Prophecies before Ometechu could strike them. Kurai grabbed the Book and opened a Corridor of Darkness to escape. Their disappearance came as an annoyance, but one that Ometechu could overlook since he attained a far greater prize.

Ometechu stared at the empty throne room. Sections of the castle continue to crumble from the outcome of the battle, not that it worried him. After all, he won the greatest prizes. He looked at his hands and the X-blade. He now had a body strong enough to contain his essence, and now the X-blade was in his possession.

“Glorious,” said Ometechu. “Now, to make sure this world never falls into the wrong hands again.”

Golden Light erupted from Ometechu’s body. The castle exploded as did the surrounding mountains. The Land of Departure crumbled to nothing as Ometechu would devour this world’s heart too.

*~*

Meanwhile, Kurai arrived at a hut floating in an underground cavern. The gentle roar of the water calmed his frightened nerves as he tore the green sheet open to reveal the dusty hut’s inside. He opened the Book of Prophecies with the orbs manifesting once more to release everyone and left them stumbling into the hut.

Kurai lit the old candles so that they could see their new surroundings. “Welcome to the wizard Merlin’s old hut in Traverse Town,” said Kurai. “We’ll be safe here.”

Brendan dropped to the floor, exhausted from the fight. He looked over his shoulder to Kurai and the Book. “You trapped us in the book?”

“It was the best way to evacuate you all at once. You’re lucky I knew the Book could do that.”

William and Odysseus punched the brick wall. They cursed their failure to save Luciano, which left them unwilling to listen to anything Kurai had to say now. 

Doron pulled out his Gummi Phone to track the Land of Departure. He got nothing back in return. “What happens now that Ometechu devoured the Land of Departure? You called it a nexus point. Is he invincible now?”

“Might as well be,” said Thomas. “He has Luciano and the X-blade.”

Kurai sighed. “I’m not sure if I’d call Ometechu invincible. However, he is close to it now. Keyblade Wielders protected the Land of Departure for generations because its position in the universe rivaled only by Scala ad Caelum. With it gone, Ometechu’s gained a massive advantage.”

Troilus shook his head. “How do we beat him now? I’m good at stabbing things. We all are. It’s bad enough that he has the X-blade’s power, but he has Luciano now. How can we stop Ometechu without risking Luciano’s life?”

The room fell to silence. Even William and Odysseus pulled themselves away from their shared grief, as part of them wanted to hear an answer. They wanted Kurai to say he had a plan that they could save Luciano. But Kurai didn’t have the news that they wanted to hear. Only what they needed to know.

Kurai placed the Book of Prophecies on the dusty table. He opened it to a page towards the end of the Book. “ _Seven Guardians. Born of Darkness and Light. Born of Virtue and Sin. Six lost to time and the Seventh to grief. Reborn to find each other. Reborn to break the cycle. Their fated encounter, to face godly wrath. The Seventh shall fall. And the Six shall despair. The god shall arise. And shall fall to slumber._ ”

Doron huffed. “Not exactly a cute bedtime story. Wish you told us that we’d lose before telling us to face Ometechu.”

“It wouldn’t make a difference,” said Kurai.

“Son of a bitch!” William grabbed onto Kurai’s collar and slammed him against the wall. “You knew that we'd lose Luciano! And you still had us fight Ometechu?”

“You really think I set you up to fail, William? After everything that I’ve done to keep you safe. Do you think I’d sell you out like this?”

William released Kurai. He punched the wall next, intentionally missing Kurai’s face. He cracked the skin with his blood staining the wall. He growled something under his breath and went over to Odysseus.

Odysseus held onto William’s hand. He gently massaged it while muttering a healing spell to repair the damage. It exhausted him further, but William was always worth the effort. “The passage about slumber? What does that mean?”

“Most likely the end of the Realm of Light?” Kurai straightened his robe’s collar. He brushed the wrinkles from where William grabbed him. “An allusion to the Realm of Sleep. Why?”

Odysseus shook his head. “At Olympus, the prophecies there always have a second meaning. Even the ones of doom and gloom. A prophecy can tell you that you’ll die, but that same prophecy will also tell you how to cheat death. What if this prophecy operates similarly? Could slumber have a deeper meaning?”

“We don’t have the time to decipher a prophecy,” said Brendan. “We need to find out how to stop Ometechu and save Luciano.”

“Then, we start reading.” Thomas slid towards the Book and started to skim its contents. “Maybe there is something here that can actually help us. Might as well study until we recover from our injuries.”

They started to agree when William stepped out of the hut. He muttered something about needing space, which they would grant him since it wasn’t like they could help his troubled heart. Odysseus tried to follow, but Kurai stopped him. Kurai felt that Odysseus’s theory proved valuable for them to overlook and would need his help to prove it true.

*~*

In an explosion of Light, Ometechu arrived at Santa Cecilia. He still wore Luciano’s face, as he maintained control over Luciano’s body. He landed near the edge of the village and could even see Luciano’s house in the distance. He squinted his eyes to see the house with his enhanced vision catching a glimpse of the ofrenda that Luciano rebuilt.

For a split second, a tinge of guilt attacked Ometechu, as he felt Luciano’s heart respond. Ometechu shook his head. It didn’t matter how Luciano felt; he would suffer. 

Ometechu walked closer to the plaza with the X-blade materializing in his hand. He struck the X-blade into the ground. The ground began to quake and screams echoed, as people started to flee to safety. Not that their attempts to escape would do them any good. Ometechu licked his lips as he prepared to consume his next target.

“Let’s see if this world can make me full,” said Ometechu as he began to obliterate this world.

*~*

At the old study, Doron jumped from his chair and started to stumble. He rushed a little too quickly for his injured body. He passed the Gummi Phone to Thomas, as he went back to sit down.

Thomas took the phone. His jaw dropped as he saw what Doron tracked. “It’s Santa Cecilia.” He looked to everyone in the room. “Ometechu destroyed it too.”

The hut went silent. They knew that if any piece of Luciano survived that he wouldn’t allow Ometechu to destroy his homeworld. However, Santa Cecilia’s destruction proved that they couldn’t rely on Luciano being able to fight back and that Ometechu proved too strong. They needed a new strategy now that they couldn’t use the Book of Prophecies or wield the X-blade.

Odysseus muttered some curses under his breath before looking at Kurai, as he continued to review the Book. “Anything in there that can help that isn’t a stupid prophecy that spells out our failure?”

“No.” Kurai closed the Book. He placed the Book on a dresser and crossed his arms. “However, I do have an idea. We’re running out of options, and there is only one entity in the universe, aside from Kingdom Hearts, that can challenge Ometechu.”

William’ s eyes widened. “The Prime Darkness!”

Kurai nodded. “Exactly. I propose that we go to the Realm of Darkness and commune with the god ourselves. The Realm of Light is done for if we can’t convince the Prime Darkness to fight on our behalf or provide us with the means to actually defeat Ometechu.”

“That sounds like our best option,” said Brendan. “But it took Luciano a year to find and speak with the Prime Darkness. If we leave, there’s no one left to protect the realm from Ometechu.”

“Because we’ve been doing such a great job at that,” said Doron.

Troilus sighed as he reached for Brendan’s hand. “We have to consider the real possibility that we can’t save everyone. Or even really the save the realm. All we can focus on now is defeating Ometechu and saving Luciano.”

“Right!” William got on his feet and summoned Gazing Eye. He raised aimed at an empty section of the room, as Darkness flared around his body and the Keyblade. A collection of stars erupted from the tip of his Keyblade, as a dark portal opened before them. “To the Realm of Darkness, we go. Stay close so that we don’t get separated.” The dark portal hummed. Energy rippled across the wall with the image of a dark coastline appearing on the opposite end. William knew that Luciano met with the Prime Darkness on the Dark Margin, so he hoped that they could meet with the god there too.

Brendan gulped, as he squeezed onto Troilus’s hand. Thomas helped Doron to his feet, while Odysseus followed William without hesitating. Kurai stuffed the Book of Prophecies into a satchel for safekeeping, as they didn’t know if they’d need it again. 

They wandered into the portal together and prayed that they’d get the help that they desperately needed.

*~*

Reality shifted as they dove deep into the Realm of Darkness. Their feet would eventually touch the sandy shoreline of Dark Margin. The pale moon loomed over them, and they listened to the gentle roar of the dark sea. They didn’t know what to expect as they only knew of the Prime Darkness from Luciano since William and Odysseus’s encounter was too brief to tell them anything.

They walked along the beach until they heard footsteps approaching from behind. They summoned their Keyblades as they expected some Heartless to find them. Instead, they found themselves standing before an entity that wore Xehanort’s face.

William lowered his arm. “The Prime Darkness.”

“Hello, children.” The Prime Darkness raised an eyebrow. “Luciano is missing. And you brought a Replica. And Supria’s book.” He sighed. “I take it that you failed to defeat my partner?”

“Worse.” Odysseus crossed his arms once Ira’s Keyblade vanished. “Ometechu possessed Luciano and now wields the X-blade.”

The Prime Darkness cringed. “That is worse. But not completely unexpected. I knew my partner would act desperate.” He stroked his chin. “I guess you’re here for my help? You need me to kill Ometechu?” He noticed their faces beaming as they hoped to hear that. He chuckled since that wasn’t within his reach. “Sorry to break the news to you, but I can’t fight Ometehcu. The injuries that he left me last we fought are still too fresh. If I were to leave my domain, my power would decline, and I’d easily lose to him at his current state. And should he come here, he could still me with the X-blade.”

“Damn it!” said Troilus.

Thomas stomped his foot. “Then, what can you do! We came all this way. It can’t be over yet.”

“And it isn’t.” The Prime Darkness crossed his arms as he approached them. “While it appears that Ometechu is invisible, he’s not. I can see now that he continues to feast upon worlds to replenish everything that your past selves took from him. He isn’t strong enough yet to bend the Realm of Light to his will or even leave his domain to challenge me in mine. You need another way to kill him.”

Brendan chuckled. “And how would we kill a god? Especially without the X-blade. Short of us seizing the power of Kingdom Hearts, there isn’t much we can do.”

The Prime Darkness shook his head. “Actually, there is more. Did you not hear what I said about what would happen if I left my domain? If he were to leave his too soon?”

“You’d lose? And so would he,” said Doron. “What does that have to do with anything?” Doron almost disregarded everything that the Prime Darkness said when it clicked. Doron gasped. “We have to remove Ometechu from the Realm of Light! It would cut him off from his base of power.”

“Exactly,” said the Prime Darkness.

“So we bring him here?” asked Odysseus.

“No, then I’d be exposed. And Ometechu would have easy access to Kingdom Hearts, which would, in fact, make him invisible. No, what you need to do is take him to another realm. Far from this realm and the Realm of Light.”

William shook his head. “I’d say the Realm of Twilight, but that isn’t much of an option either. It has too much Light that it wouldn’t make a difference to Ometechu. Where else could we go?”

“The Realm of Sleep.” Kurai opened the Book of Prophecies to review the entry that Supria wrote on it. “The Realm of Sleep is separated from all realms. It is a reality that operates beyond the normal limitations of time and space. A reality of possibility.” Kurai closed the Book. “If you did drag Ometechu to the Realm of Sleep, not only could you separate him from his domain, but you could access the Realm of Sleep’s power to awaken Luciano form his grasp.”

“Slumber,” whispered Odysseus. “The line from the prophecy. _The god shall arise. And shall fall to slumber._ It has to the Realm of Sleep!”

Brendan nodded. “How do we drag Ometechu to the Realm of Sleep? He won’t go willingly.”

The Prime Darkness pointed at the Book. “Open a gate with the Book of Prophecies. Not even a god could fight that power. And once you reunite with Luciano, do everything that you can to reclaim the X-blade. Only it is powerful enough to slay Ometechu.”

A Corridor of Darkness opened behind them. The Prime Darkness smirked as he gestured them to leave his domain. “Go now! Defeat Ometechu. And liberate your realm from his tyranny.”

“Why are you so willing to help us?” asked William. “Do you really want to see your partner die?”

The Prime Darkness sighed. “The old cycle must die. Change is necessary, even for us gods. Ometechu is too resistant to change. He puts even Kingdom Hearts at risk, and as its guardian, I must ensure its safety. Now, go! You have time left to chat with me.” The Prime Darkness as his consciousness scattered across his realm.

The Corridor of Darkness remained behind, leading them back to the Realm of Light. Or, at least what remained of it. 

*~*

The Prime Darkness transported them outside of the central station at Twilight Town. They didn’t know why he brought them there, but it didn’t matter. All that they needed to focus on was trapping Ometechu in the Realm of Sleep.

First, they coordinated a strategy. It wasn’t the most complex one, but they also couldn’t afford to start a battle since Ometechu could use the X-blade to kill them easily. Instead, they would focus on an all-out attack. 

Doron did a quick scan of the worlds. He wanted to see for themselves how much damage Ometechu did even as he noticed that they were only gone for a few days. “Not good at all,” said Doron. “I’m getting a reading that every world is gone now”

“Damn!” Troilus shook his head. “Ometechu is one hungry god.”

“It means we need to act quickly,” said Brendan.

William summoned Gazing Eye to his hand. “Is everyone ready?”

“As ready as we’ll ever be,” said Thomas.

Odysseus huffed as he slung Ira’s Keyblade over his shoulder. “Speak for yourself. I’m ready to kill this god and save Luciano!”

They formed a circle over the brick road. They stabbed the ground with their Keyblades once more. They summoned the Darkness from within their hearts to lure Ometechu to this world as they had at the Land of Departure.

An explosion of Light illuminated the orange sky. The denizens of Twilight Town likely thought it was a simple shooting star or even a solar flare. However, William and they knew better. They knew that Ometechu made his presence known. 

Ometechu glided, gracefully, towards them. He continued to wear Luciano’s face as he made no changes in appearances. It felt eerie to see Luciano’s face staring back at them while knowing the truth that a god made him a puppet.

Ometechu’s feet touched the ground as he purposely descended into their circle. “So, we meet again.” An explosion of Light rippled across his hand as he summoned the X-blade. He grabbed the hilt as he took the time to look at them slowly. “Well, this is amusing. And given how upset you appear, I assume you have a new plan to defeat me. Now, before we begin, allow me to assure that any moronic plan that you’ve concocted is nothing more than a suicide mission. I’ve already won. And there is nothing you can do to stop me.”

Ometechu struck the X-blade into the ground. His gaze fell onto William and Odysseus next since he knew he could make it feel very personal to them. “Understood? You’ve already failed. You might as well accept the inevitable.”

William glared. “Fuck you. You haven’t won shit.”

Odysseus raised Ira’s Keyblade. “Now!”

They sprang to their feet. They broke circle with Ometechu appearing surprised that they weren’t attempting to bind him once more. However, he raised the X-blade to create another barrier that couldn’t hope to penetrate. The Gazing Eye and Foretellers’ Keyblades crashed against the barrier, which held against their might.

Ometechu yawned. “Do you have anything else? I’m tired of these old tricks.”

William smirked. “Then, we have a treat for you! Kurai!”

Ometechu flinched. He forgot that about Kurai. He looked up to the clocktower, where he sensed another presence. 

Kurai walked from the ledge of the clocktower, high above them. He didn’t hesitate to take the plunge as he jumped from the ledge. He gently swung Way to the Dawn, which radiated with violet energy. The Book of Prophecies floated from his hand with its pages flipping rapidly to unleash the power contained within it. 

The Book of Prophecies hovered over them. The Gazing Eye, Foretellers’ Keyblades, and even the X-blade responded to the Book’s presence. 

“What is this?” shouted Ometechu.

“Your future prison,” said William.

Kurai directed the Book of Prophecies over them. He knew that he couldn’t make any mistakes, but he still feared for their safety as they didn’t know what could go wrong in the Realm of Sleep. He had the Book open itself on the entry for the Realm of Sleep, forcing the Book to use its powers to open a gate.

The Book unleashed a vortex that began to pull Ometechu and them into it. Ometechu attempted to use the X-blade to break the vortex, but the X-blade refused his command. And instead, he got pulled into the vortex with everyone else.

Kurai grabbed onto the Book of Prophecies and closed it. He blasted an Aero spell to soften his landing as he reached the ground. He took a deep breath as he looked to the Book. 

A Corridor of Darkness opened behind Kurai. “It’s all up to you now. Don’t let us down.” 

*~*

In an endless void, Luciano opened his eyes only to find himself blinded by Light. He felt a massive weight pressing down upon his chest, preventing him from taking any air. He tried to push against it, but the pressure only pressed back harder. He wanted to scream. He tried to fight, but his body wouldn’t resist.

“ _Give in! You cannot win, Luciano. I have won!_ ”

The familiar voice rang across Luciano’s mind. He could see it all now. He remembered using the X-blade and attempting to bind Ometechu only to fail. Then, he remembered that Ometechu attacked him. Ometechu stole his body. A gasp escaped Luciano, as he tried once more to breathe. Ometechu was attempting to suppress Luciano, to keep him from fighting.

The weight proved painful. Luciano didn’t want to surrender, but he couldn’t see any way of fighting back. Nothing he could do would save him. He didn’t have William, Odysseus, or the others to help him. He didn’t have the X-blade. And he couldn’t draw his powers to defend himself. All he had left was himself.

However, he did one recall one more thing. He could hear Data-Supria’s voice, reminding him to treasure his friends and to punch Ometechu.

Luciano shook his head. He slammed his fist against the weight on him and felt a slight budge. “No!” He found his voice. “You haven’t won! I will stop you!” Luciano managed to regain enough mobility to strike the weight. He heard a groan, then suddenly felt weightless.

The blinding Light retreated as it coalesced into a singular figure. Luciano looked to find himself staring at another him that carried the X-blade in his hand, but Luciano knew the truth. The other him was Ometechu, wearing his face. Luciano glared as he flicked his wrist. The Combined Keyblade materialized. 

Luciano wasn’t entirely alone. He could still fight.

The void shifted around them. They floated in a sea of stars, but it didn’t remind Luciano of the Ocean’s Between. Instead, he noticed a sea of clouds covering much of the space. And he felt an odd serenity with this place that left him curious as to where they were now.

“You’ve done enough harm, Ometechu!” shouted Luciano. “I will finish what Supria started. I will defeat you!”

Ometechu chuckled. He tightened his grip on the X-blade as he glided closer to Luciano. “You mean to defeat me? You! You’re not even half the warrior that Supria was! You are nothing more than a weak child! How could you possibly hope to accomplish to defeat me alone?”

Luciano glared. “I’m not alone. I’ll never be alone. Not with everyone that I carry with me in my heart!”

Ometechu huffed. “How adorable. But if you think that the power of love can stop me, then you’re sorely mistaken!”

“Then how about the Power of Darkness!”

In the void, Darkness emerged around Luciano. Even Ometechu appeared astonished as he glided away from him. Luciano gasped, as he saw them emerge from the Darkness.

William and Odysseus stood beside Luciano. Brendan, Troilus, Doron, and Thomas joined them too with them summoning their Keyblades. 

“How?” whispered Luciano.

William smiled. “This is the Realm of Sleep. Anything is possible here.”

Odysseus nodded. “We dragged Ometechu here so that we could awaken your heart. Now, we can end this tyrant.”

“End me!” shouted Ometechu. “You, fools, think you can defeat me! I am a Prime! I basked in the gloriousness of Kingdom Hearts.”

“Oh, shut up!” said Doron. “No one cares!”

“You can brag all you want about your greatness,” said Brendan, “but all you’ve done is show your insecurity.” 

“It’s no wonder that your kids wanted to kill you,” said Troilus. “You’re a real spoiled brat!”

“And a poor god at that,” said Thomas. “It’s time we put you out of your misery!”

Ometechu glared. He raised the X-blade. Even if they trapped him in the Realm of Sleep, he had more than enough power to kill them. “Fight me all you like. I am unstoppable! I am Light!”

Luciano smirked as he swung the Combined Keyblade forward. “And we are the fallen angels that make gods weep! This is the end for you, Ometechu!” Everyone agreed.

They united as one and charged after Ometechu for the final battle.


	20. Mark of Possibilities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, hello! I hope y'all enjoyed the story. I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out. And thank you to HubrisP for helping me to organize and write this story out. Now, I'm going to take a long nap because I'm pooped!

Explosions rippled across space. Luciano and his companions clashed against Ometechu. The battle appeared uncertain, with neither side appearing to have an advantage in the Realm of Sleep. However, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. They could accept not easily defeating a god like Ometechu if it meant that he couldn’t easily crush them beneath his heel.

Fortunately, it appeared that they possessed a fair chance at winning. 

They surrounded Ometechu and attempted to bash him with their Keyblades. However, Ometechu retained enough power to move at a rapid speed. He could appear at every spot to block and parry every move that they made. And yet, they managed to avoid his counters before it ripped them to shreds.

Even with the X-blade, Ometechu didn’t appear invincible. Still, they didn’t allow their arrogance to get the best of them. They needed to remain focused if they had a chance of coming out victorious.

Troilus attempted to strike Ometechu with a close-range slash. He missed, which gave Ometechu the opening to grab his neck. Odysseus sprang after Ometechu to slash his arm only for Ometechu to block with the X-blade. Ometechu applied pressure onto Troilus’s neck when he felt a sharp pain ripple across his back.

Thomas and Doron blasted Ometechu with a Firaga spell. It forced Ometechu to release Troilus, allowing him to get some needed air, but it also turned Ometechu’s attention onto them. Ometechu shoved Odysseus aside before unleashing a blast of Light that exploded the area that they stood. Thomas and Doron got pushed apart from the resulting explosion. 

Meanwhile, Brendan would sneak in and strike while Ometechu still had his back turned. Ometechu proved prepared for Brendan’s simple trick. Ometechu blocked before kicking Brendan’s chest, forcing Troilus to attempt to save him. William and Luciano went in for a kill shot as they swung their Keyblades Ometechu’s torso only for him to block them too.

“Is that the best you have to offer?” asked Ometechu. “Here, I thought you separating me from my domain, and your desperate boasts meant something. I almost knew fear only for you to severally disappoint.”

William huffed. “It isn’t too late for us to make your day and put you in a casket!”

Ometechu laughed. “Do you really think so? I’m the one holding all the cards. This is your final chance to defeat me, and so far, you’re blowing it!”

“You haven’t seen our best yet!” said Luciano. “We haven’t reached out limit!”

“I suggest you do so because you’re running out of time.” 

Ometechu shoved them without a second thought. He sent them sailing across space and crashing into the void of the Realm of Sleep. They appeared too injured to keep up fighting, but they continued to rise against him. They shrugged their injuries and attempted to move after him again. 

Ometechu couldn’t help but laugh. “I respect your determination. You are stubborn children, but alas, you cannot stop the inevitable.” Ometechu slammed the X-blade into the empty void. He cracked the transparent surface, forcing a set of runes to manifest beneath him. The runes linked together in assorted shapes and patterns as golden rays of Light ascended over him. The ray coalesced into a bright orb that shined as bright as a sun. “I have no more mercy to show you. Now, you face extermination!”

A barrage of Light exploded from the orb and blasted them. 

The Light pierced their skin with the intensity of a heated dagger. The blasts struck them everywhere and forced them to collapse. They struggled to move even the slightest bit as Ometechu’s assault ended. 

“There,” said Ometechu. “Stay down. Yield. Die. This fight is pointless. You could never hope to defeat one like me. You set yourselves up for a losing battle.” He raised the X-blade. Golden Light surrounded the X-blade as he unleashed a shockwave that slammed into their bodies, inflicting more pain. “There is no hope for you.”

Luciano gasped. His body trembled, and his vision blurred as he tried to move. He couldn’t budge much, and he noticed the others in a similar predicament. None of them could do anything. Ometechu proved himself correct. They had no hope. They had no chance of winning, of saving the Realm of Light.

Ometechu licked his lips. “Once you’re gone, then nothing can stop me. The Realm of Light belongs to me, and I shall remake it into my vision of paradise. No suffering. No pain. Only obedience and devotion to me.”

“That sounds like hell!” William’s voice echoed across the void. He pushed himself, fighting past the pain to get on his feet even as he appeared too weak to move. “No one would be happy living in your twisted paradise.”

“Arrogant,” muttered Ometechu.

“He’s right!” Odysseus compelled himself to stand. He groaned as he straightened his back out. “Nothing you offer sounds anything close to paradise.

Troilus made his move next. “Pain makes us people. No matter how much it hurts, we can grow from it. And we can shield others from experiencing the suffering that we did.”

Doron nodded as he shoved himself to his feet. “Pain comes with joy. Suffering comes with pleasure. No life is perfect. And I wouldn’t trade my messy life for your false utopia!”

Brendan clenched his teeth and fought past the pain centered around his ribs. “We became close because of our shared experiences. Our highs. Our lows. And you would take that from us! To make us nothing more than puppets! We won’t accept that.”

Thomas sighed as he applied pressure onto his stomach to relieve the pain. “You’re nothing more than a fool. A child playing tyrant. It’s time you get put on time out!”

Luciano stabbed the Combined Keyblade into the ground as he forced himself to stand. “In case it wasn’t obvious,” said Luciano, “we don’t accept your vision. We’d take the Realm of Light as it was. The messiness. The pain. The joy. The love! We want it all!”

Ometechu shook his head. “Fools. All you seek is pain. So, I shall grant you that release. And sentence you to death!” 

“No!” Sparks ignited as they reclaimed their Keyblades. 

William raised Gazing Eye. Twelve copies manifested as they shot rays of Darkness to the real Gazing Eye. He fired a concentrated ray of energy that bounced across the void. Ometechu attempted to block the blast, only for the ray to separate into dozens of blasts. The Darkness surrounded Ometechu, causing an explosion that left him stumbling.

Thomas growled as he swung Aced’s Keyblade. He slammed it as hard as he could into the ground, triggering rocky columns to manifest that bashed Ometechu. The columns exploded into Darkness, sending Ometechu floating into the air.

Brendan charged after Ometechu with Gula’s Keyblade raised. His body began to fade into electrical surges as he zipped across the void. He slashed at Ometechu with blinding speed that it left Ometechu feeling nothing but shock. 

Doron jumped after Ometechu next. He twirled Ava’s Keyblade as phased copies of himself began to surround Ometechu. He and his copies struck Ometechu with vicious slashes that sparked rose petals to scatter everywhere as his copies faded, while Ometechu descended to the ground.

Troilus moved to get his revenge. Magic flared around Troilus as four colorful orbs surrounded Invi’s Keyblade. He swung at Ometechu to unleash a fiery slash then summoned a gust of wind from his Keyblade. The fire burned and wind tore at Ometechu’s flesh. Troilus then froze Ometechu with a blast of icy magic before shattering the ice with a mighty thunderbolt. Ometechu stumbled more, but it wasn’t over yet.

Odysseus raised Ira’s Keyblade over his face. A set of six, Dark diamonds began to surround Ometechu. Odysseus swung his Keyblade, commanding the diamonds to strike. The diamonds smashed themselves against Ometechu, leaving him unbalanced, and gave Odysseus the chance to get in for a close slash. 

Ometechu tried to raise the X-blade, but his grip weakened. He couldn’t do much more as he sensed his power fading and couldn’t regain what he lost in this foreign domain.

Luciano charged after Ometechu, sensing the god’s weakness. He grabbed the Combined Keyblade with both hands, which sparked the Keyblade to separate in two parts: a Keyblade of Light and a Keyblade of Darkness. He swung the Light Keyblade to hurt Ometechu with a familiar energy source. Then, he swung the Dark Keyblade. The slashes created a colorful surge of energy that blasted Ometechu at full force. Ometechu lost his hold of the X-blade and slid across the void with smoke rising from his body.

Ometechu struggled to his feet. He tasted his divine blood on his tongue and sensed his body weakening. He looked up as Luciano took hold of the X-blade once more. “Supria. Luciano,” gasped Ometechu. “Don’t...you don’t know.”

“You’re wrong.” Luciano swung the X-blade. “I do know. I know you’re afraid. I know you don’t want to die. And I know you don’t want to yield control.” Luciano chuckled. He pointed the X-blade at Ometechu, who continued to stare at him with wide eyes. “You should’ve known that this outcome was possible. You failed once more. It meant you could fail again. Now, we rid the universe of your tyranny.” 

“No!” said Ometechu.

Luciano spun the X-blade. He raised the X-blade over his head. William led the others to move similarly. They gathered their Keyblades’ powers and raised them. Rays of Darkness ascended to united with the ray of Light that the X-blade produced. Beneath them, the image of a heart with five spikes, an angel’s wing, and a devil’s wing manifested. 

The power that they drew harmonized as one as Luciano focused the blast onto Ometechu. The attack struck Ometechu, forcing the god to know his demise. The life from Ometechu’s eyes faded as his body began to crumble. A pair of hearts departed as the last of Ometechu’s body became no more. 

A wave of Light spread out from Ometechu, but the X-blade shielded them as it radiated a brighter Light.

*~*

The X-blade’s radiance diminished, allowing them to see once more as it transported them from the Realm of Sleep. They found themselves standing in a desolate wasteland where millions of rusted Keyblades laid at rest. A harsh breeze blew that exposed the mountains in the distance. And there they saw themselves standing at the fated crossroads where the last Keyblade War occurred.

William huffed. “Of course, the Keyblade Graveyard would survive the apocalypse.” He looked over his shoulder. He could see Luciano behind him with the X-blade in hand. However, a part of him doubted Luciano’s presence. “Lucio?” 

Luciano smiled. It didn’t have Ometechu’s malicious expression. The smile came from the sweet, young man that they came to know and love. “Yeah. It’s really me.” William rushed over to kiss him. Before Luciano could say another word, he had Odysseus kiss him too. “Easy there! The others are here.”

Odysseus stroked Luciano’s chin. “Let them watch,” he whispered.

“Gross! Go fuck in a cave.” Doron skipped towards them while looking at everyone. “But we did it! Ometechu is gone. We saved the Realm of Light!”

“You mean what’s left of it,” corrected Brendan.

They sighed. The worlds fell to Ometechu, and they didn’t know of any means to undo the damage short of using time travel. 

Troilus crossed his arms. “Could we use the X-blade? If it is connected to Kingdom Hearts, can’t we use the X-blade to reverse the damage?” Everyone glanced at each other, as they hadn’t considered that as a viable option. 

“Maybe.” Thomas shrugged. “I mean. We killed a god. I think we can bring the worlds back to life.”

“I wouldn’t attempt that if I were you.”

Footsteps approached from the dusty crossroads. Kurai’s form gradually became visible, as he held the Book of Prophecies close to his chest.

Kurai grinned at them. Then, he focused his attention on Luciano and the X-blade. “I almost doubted your ability to succeed. But I’m glad you proved me wrong. Now, we can focus on the bigger picture,” said Kurai. “The Prime Darkness needs to speak with you. There is something else we need to discuss.”

“But we just won!” said Doron. “Don’t we at least get a piece of cake?”

“You can have cake later.” Kurai flicked his wrist to open a Corridor of Darkness. He had no intention of delaying things, as he demanded them to follow him into the Realm of Darkness.

Without much of a choice, they descended into the Darkness.

*~*

At the Dark Margin, the Prime Darkness stood on the ocean with his arms folded behind his back. He grinned while they finally joined him in his domain.

The Prime Darkness sighed. “Children. You never cease to amaze me. You did the impossible. You killed a god.” The Prime Darkness chuckled. He vanished from the ocean to reappear on the beach to get closer. He extended his hand out. “However, your actions have consequences. The balance between Light and Darkness is broken. There is no great Light, so only Darkness may reign.”

Luciano clenched onto the hilt of the X-blade. The others showed signs of preparing to summon their Keyblades too. “Do you intend to fight us, too?” asked Luciano. “Even after telling us how to defeat a god?”

“No.” The Prime Darkness chuckled once more. He shook his head. “No. I’m not interested in fighting. And, it’s like I told your comrades, it is time for a change. The old ways must end. It is time for the young to assume power.” 

The Prime Darkness touched Luciano’s chest. Luciano gasped as he felt a sharp pain from his heart. Everyone rushed to Luciano as the Prime Darkness removed his hand from Luciano’s chest. Seven broken fragments of Light floated over the Prime Darkness’s hand. Luciano nearly fell to the beach when Odysseus and William caught him. 

“The original Seven Shards of Light,” said the Prime Darkness. “These are the greatest sources of Light left in reality outside of Kingdom Hearts. And with it, it can help restore the balance.”

Luciano nearly fainted as his vision blurred. He used the X-blade to help him up, which didn’t resist his touch even now that he no longer carried the Seven Shards. “What?”

William summoned Gazing Eye. A fire burned within his chest as he set his sights onto the Prime Darkness. “How dare you hurt Luciano!”

“Easy, William,” said Kurai. “It all serves a purpose.” William nearly started an argument when a Light flashed within the dark coastline.

A heart descended from the sky, which grew closer to the Prime Darkness. The Prime Darkness released the shards and merged them into the heart. Light flashed once more. The heart took the form of a youthful figure that they saw not that long ago. The figure appeared as Ometechu did when he first manifested before them.

Odysseus gasped. “Ometechu! Not again!”

The Prime Darkness shook his head. “No. This is the one that you called Master Juan. I managed to save what remained of his heart before it faded into oblivion with Ometechu. Isn’t that right?”

The figure opened his eyes. A smile spread across his face as he saw them. His gaze eventually met Luciano. They exchanged smiles with Luciano feeling his father’s presence. “Lucio,” whispered Juan.

“Dad?” 

Juan nodded. “But...how? Why?”

The Prime Darkness touched Juan’s shoulder. “The universe needs Light and Darkness. With Ometechu gone, someone must fill the void as Representative of the Light.” He sighed. “But, imbalance still remains. Your Light is too dim. And my Darkness is too great.”

“What does that mean?” asked Brendan. 

“I must perish too,” said the Prime Darkness, “so that someone else can fulfill my role. A new Darkness equivalent to Juan’s Light. The age of the Primes have passed. Now, it is up to the Representatives to maintain balance.” The Prime Darkness held his hand out. “Are you ready?”

At first, they expected the Prime Darkness to choose one of them. However, Kurai would step forward. He passed the Book of Prophecies to Thomas before joining hands with the Prime Darkness.

“Master!” shouted William.

Kurai smirked. “You don’t need a Master anymore, William. You are one. All of you.” Kurai shifted his gaze back to the Prime Darkness. “This is my destiny. A doll that was given the freedom to live as a man. And now, I have the chance to spend eternity as a higher power. Not a bad way to end my story.”

“This was a foreseen outcome,” said the Prime Darkness. “I knew that Ometechu had to die. And that I would too to save what is left of reality. That is why I made sure to cross paths with Kurai to discuss this future.”

Kurai nodded. “I spent all my life searching for the original Thirteen Shards of Darkness. They are part of my heart as the original Seven Shards of Light are no part of Juan's heart. I am ready to fulfill my destiny. To become the Representative of Darkness.”

“Good.” The Prime Darkness’s form began to crumble into shadow. 

The essence of the Prime Darkness entered Kurai. The process lasted for a moment as Kurai's change as Juan did before him when coming into contact with Ometechu's essence. Kurai nearly fell to his knees. Juan went over to him, keeping him from falling. Kurai sighed as his eyes flashed black. “It looks like you and I are stuck together.”

Juan chuckled. “So it would seem. Partner.”

“What does that mean for us?” asked Thomas. “And the Realm of Light?” 

Kurai and Juan glanced at each other, then nodded their heads. They extended their hands, creating a silver rift that opened to an unknown land. 

Kurai followed his hands behind his back. “It is there that you’ll find the power of infinite possibilities.”

“That is your chance,” said Juan, “to take the X-blade and restore the Realm of Light as you see fit.”

“Rebuild it as it was before Ometechu’s return,” said Kurai.

“Or create something new,” said Juan. “The choice is yours.”

Troilus’s jaw dropped. He looked closer to the rift to see countless white towers linked together with cables. “Is that what I think it is?”

Luciano nodded. He looked to the X-blade then to Kurai and Juan. “What about you? What will you do now?”

“As the Primes did before us,” said Kurai. “Maintain balance.”

“But without war.” Juan walked over to squeeze Luciano’s shoulder. He smiled before leaning over to kiss Luciano’s forehead. “Go now. Make the realm into something better.” Luciano smiled and hugged Juan. Juan returned the gesture before letting Luciano go. He turned to William and Odysseus. “Take care of him. _Or else._ ” William and Odysseus smirked as they made the promise.

They walked together into the rift to save the Realm of Light.

Juan looked to Kurai. They muttered their farewells as Juan vanished into a flash of Light, as he could not remain in the Realm of Darkness for too long. Kurai took a deep breath as he looked out to the dark coast. He couldn’t wait to see what they decided.

*~*

The rift transported them to the highest tower, where they overlooked the city of towers and cables. A clear, blue sea surrounded the city with the faintest appearance of a sunken city reflecting beneath the surface. Juan and Kurai sent them to Scala ad Caelum, the land where Keyblade Wielders built a civilization in secret and over the remains of Daybreak Town. It was beneath Scala, down in the sea, that Daybreak Town’s remains lingered as a memory to the land where Supria and his apprentices once resided. 

Luciano approached the edge of the high tower. The X-blade felt particularly heavy now as he wasn’t sure how to use it. William and Odysseus went to him, placing their hands on his shoulders. They assured him that he knew what to do. He nodded as he walked away from the ledge to join the others at the center of the tower.

Thomas laid the Book of Prophecies open to the entry on Scala. “Fixing the Realm of Light is a big task. Something that shouldn’t be done alone.” 

“What are you proposing?” asked Brendan.

“We do this together,” said Luciano. 

Odysseus nodded. “I like that idea.”

“Makes sense,” said Doron. “Rebuilding a realm would take a lot of hands.”

“And only a fool would attempt to do so alone,” said Troilus.

“But how?” asked William. “What do we make of this new Realm of Light?”

Luciano looked to the Book of Prophecies. He thought of everyone that they knew. Every life that got extinguished for no reason. The chaos Ahriman unleashed with the Unversed, the pettiness of Virgil and Layla, and Ometechu’s tyranny. The people of the Realm of Light didn’t deserve such a pitiful fate. They deserved a second chance. 

Plus, he had a promise to keep to Data-Sora.

Luciano raised the X-blade. “We bring it back. But we make it a fairer place. A place of possibility.” Luciano smiled as he turned to his boyfriends and friends. “I’ll need your help.” 

They agreed. They each laid a hand upon the X-blade. The X-blade responded to the collective Light and Darkness within their hearts and harmonized with the power contained at Scala.

The Book of Prophecies began to float, and its pages turned furiously. The Book unbound itself with its pages surrounding them. The X-blade shined brighter as the silhouette of a heart-shaped moon appeared over them. It only manifested briefly, but they knew that Kingdom Hearts heard their wish too.

The energy spread out, moving across the Realm of Light as the worlds returned to their previous condition. 

In doing so, their actions required a great deal of power. The Book of Prophecies was no more. Its knowledge and contents are gone, as only ash drifted to the ground. The X-blade would shatter into seven fragments that contained both Light and Darkness. Their Keyblades manifested into their hands with a shard imbuing itself into each Keyblade. And to each of them, they became a guardian of the X-blade’s power. A seventh of its power belonging to each of them, marking them as equals.

The image of Kingdom Hearts vanished from the sky. They were left standing on the tower, uncertain if they made the right decision. All that they had no was faith.

*~*

Wandering the bazaar of Agrabah, Eva pulled her wrapping closer to protect her face from the harsh sunlight. She went to the fruit vendor to check if the vendor had any pomegranates in stock. She purchased a couple before moving onto another stand as she focused on finishing her grocery trip. 

Eva whistled a few notes, while the satchel of fruit bounced against her leg. She didn’t think of much else. She enjoyed the lovely day and how peaceful the city felt.

It amazed Eva that Agrabah could know such peace. Hell, all worlds did. She journeyed across the Ocean’s Between with other Keyblade Wielders to find no troubles plaguing the worlds. They would cross the paths of a few Heartless here and there, but nothing that a single Wielder couldn’t handle. It almost reached the point where she questioned if the worlds even needed Wielders to protect them.

The thought made Eva chuckle. She knew that so long as evil existed in the hearts of people that Light and Darkness would always clash. The worlds would need Keyblade Wielders to guard the peace. 

At least she could thank the blessings that Seven Guardians bestowed. 

Eva returned home. She didn’t have a big place, but a modest size place for herself and the orphans that would stay with her from time to time. She left her groceries in the kitchen, and before she could make herself comfortable, she heard heavy footsteps. She looked over her shoulder to find four children coming after her.

“Miss Eva! Come quick!”

“What’s wrong?” asked Eva.

“There are Heartless near the gate!”

Eva nodded. She discarded her headcover and her robes. She revealed the linen shirt and pants underneath that would allow her mobility. A flash of Light appeared as the Three Wishes Keyblade manifested. She would rush to the gate as she warned the children to stay inside.

People fled the bazaar, running deeper into the city while Eva ran to danger.

A group of Shadows slithered underneath the closed gate. A Shadow attempted to attack a guard when a spark of lightning blasted the Heartless. The guard looked over his shoulder as Eva came between him and the Heartless.

Eva didn’t hesitate in the slightest. She rushed at the Heartless, slashing at them. Dark smoke and a heart faded from their exploded bodies as she eliminated them. Within seconds, she destroyed the Shadows before they could come after anyone else. 

Three Wishes vanished as Eva brushed her hair from her face. She smiled. “Good work me.” She helped the guard to his feet and worked on assessing the damage.

Meanwhile, a miniature version of the Gazing Eye buzzed across Agrabah like a drone, observing Eva then faded before anyone could spot it.

*~*

The cold water felt exhilarating.

Brendan and Troilus made it to a pocket of air within the ruins of Daybreak Town, deep beneath Scala ad Caelum. Lucky for them that the air pocket connected to the remnants of a library where some of the books and other records remained in decent enough condition. The humidity damaged many, but they managed to recover some gems. 

Brendan pulled himself out of the water. The swimming briefs he wore slid from his hips a little, but he didn’t think twice about it. He deactivated the breathing spell to conserve his magical energy. 

Meanwhile, Troilus worked a bit harder to get out of the water. He didn’t have legs because of his merman body. He got his tail out, and the enchantment on him returned to give him legs. He found the humidity in the library pleasant as he paraded about naked. 

For ages now, they worked to recover everything of value from the sunken ruins of Daybreak Town that the Keyblade Wielders of old hadn’t attained. And when they weren’t excavating the ruins, they spent much of their free time diving. They had a hard time convincing the others to join them, so it became something that they did as a couple instead.

“What are we after now?” asked Troilus. Despite how softly he spoke, his voice boomed across the sunken walls to make him sound twice as loud.

Brendan wiped some water from his face. His feet padded across the wet flooring as he stepped around the barnacles. “I think we raided everything by now.” Brendan’s voice suffered from the same problem. They got used to it after their many dives. “I’m not so sure what else we can find here.” He plucked a book from the ground. Despite the book being dry, the humidity destroyed the ink from the pages, leaving it a blurry mess. “Maybe we should start looking for jewelry.”

Troilus chuckled. He walked over to Brendan, wrapping his arms around Brendan’s waist. He kissed Brendan’s neck, while his dick pressed against Brendan’s ass. “Or, we could consider remodeling this place. We could turn it into our little lovenest.” 

“No!” Brendan twisted his head back and kissed Troilus’s cheek. “There’s nothing romantic about this place. I’ll stick to us having sex on the beach.”

“A win for me.” Troilus turned to a cleared bookshelf. He squinted his eyes as he saw familiar markings on the cover of a book. He stepped away from Brendan to retrieve the book. It bore the same symbols on the cover of the Book of Prophecies that they lost. “Hey! Is this another Book of Prophecies?”

Brendan checked the cover and saw the similarities. He started to read its contents, then shook his head. “It isn’t a Book, but it appears that Supria wrote this too. Most of it looks like general notes. Still, it might have some value.” He closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. He would wrap his arms around Troilus’s neck. “Good eye, Aquaman.”

Troilus smirked as he slid his hands into Brendan’s briefs and pulled him closer. “Really? Good enough to make this place a little more romantic?”

Brendan laughed and kissed Troilus. “Maybe just this once.” That is all Troilus needed to hear. Troilus pushed Brendan’s briefs off and pinned him against the bookshelf as they started to make out.

*~*

Meanwhile, Doron laid on a lounge chair on the roof of a white tower. The salty breeze felt marvelous against his skin as he hummed along to a jolly tune. He ignored all earthly concerns and instead focused on getting some vitamin D after spending days locked away in the library. 

“Careful now. You’ll burn.” 

Doron removed his sunglasses as he looked to find Thomas joining him on the rooftop. Thomas carried with him the book that Brendan and Troilus found at the ruins of Daybreak town. Doron huffed. “Still studying? You know that we have nothing to worry about now. We’ve cleaned up all of Ometechu’s mess. And now we all the time in the universe do whatever we want.”

“I know.” Thomas took his shirt off before sitting on a lounge chair too. He started to flip the pages of the book to review its contents. “I’ve carbon-dated the book. It appears that it originated during the earliest days of Daybreak Town, possibly before Supria even recruited his apprentices. The theories here are so dated that I think this is how he developed his early ideas surrounding reincarnation.” 

Doron rolled his eyes. “You’re harshing my buzz, lover. I’m here to relax, not rack my brain over some hot coles. We can talk about this nerdy shit later.”

Thomas raised his eyebrows. “The one that loves uncovering lost and forbidden secrets isn’t interested in digging into the writings of one of the oldest beings in our universe? Doesn’t that sound like a bit of a contradiction?”

“Vacation time, darling. The universe isn’t in danger. You could soak up vitamin D like I am without studying.” Doron yawned. “Or take a nap. Come on. You know how much you love naps. The worlds are at peace. This is the perfect time to sleep without worrying about anyone disturbing you.”

Thomas yawned too. He cursed himself for letting Doron trick him. He dropped the book onto the roof and pushed their chairs closer together. He grabbed onto Doron’s hand and started to close his eyes. “You are a bad influence; you know that?”

Doron smirked. He squeezed onto Thomas’s hand. “I’m a wonderful influence. Did you forget that it was my idea to let the people choose between following the path of Light, Darkness, or Twilight without repercussions? My foresight made sure that we don’t have to worry about another Keyblade War coming barreling towards us right away. Plus, we're going to reopen this place as a new Academy for all the baby Wielders! To train those deemed worthy so they don't become assholes like Xehanort, Vigil, and Layla”

“Yes, oh, brilliant one,” said Thomas. “How could I ever forget? You never shut up about it.”

Doron blew Thomas a kiss. “And don’t you forget it!” 

*~*

A flash of zeros and ones arose from the platform in the library of Scala as Luciano returned from the Data World. He had a grin on his face from the time that he spent with Data-Sora. He stepped off the platform and moved away from the computer that they transferred over from Disney Castle.

In fact, they brought many things from the other worlds to Scala. They filled the halls with things from their homeworlds and anything else of sentimental value. Luciano even had his parents’ ofrenda set up in his study.

Luciano wandered across the library to find Odysseus sitting on a couch with the book that Supria wrote on his lap. Odysseus closed it when he heard Luciano approaching him. Odysseus tossed the book onto a coffee table as Luciano crawled onto the couch, resting his head on Odysseus’s hard chest.

“Miss me?” asked Luciano.

Odysseus chuckled. “You were gone for thirty minutes.”

“Really? That long? It felt like a day in Data World.” Luciano ran his hand across Odysseus’s chest as he stared out the gold-trimmed windows to see the city. 

They accomplished so much in a short window of time. They restored the worlds and revived those that died, but made some significant changes. They took away the memories of everyone involved in the Keyblade War and Ometechu’s rampage across the realm. They gave everyone a sense of peace so that they could make new decisions and follow a changed path. Even the Keyblade Wielders could act beyond what they once knew as their altered memories, and the realm’s new order freed them from the constant cycle of the old one. 

And now, Luciano and them focused on managing this new order that they created. They would allow Light and Darkness to flourish while preventing new fanatics and tyrants from rising. Even Kurai and Juan approved of their actions as they could see a greater potential for everyone that would take them beyond the conflicts of the Primes and the old struggle to claim Kingdom Hearts.

Odysseus rubbed Luciano’s lower back. He looked up to the ceiling when he noticed a Gazing Eye drone buzzing above them. He raised a hand and moved his finger to copy the motion of shooting a gun. A blast of Dark energy sailed from his index finger to blast the drone into nothing. 

“Come out, coward,” said Odysseus. 

“Coward? Says the traitors that are cuddling without me.” William stepped from the shadows. He slid onto the couch to lay on Luciano while adding his weight to crush Odysseus. Luciano and Odysseus groaned as they had no choice but to get off the couch before they couldn’t breathe.

William laughed as he claimed the couch for himself. He folded his arms behind his head as he looked at Luciano. “You’ll be happy to know that everyone is adjusting fine. And it looks like their memories of the old universe are gone.” He cracked a smirk. “Still, I’ll keep a close eye on Virgil and Layla. I don’t see why you would allow them to return after all the shit that they caused.”

Luciano smacked William’s leg, forcing him to sit up. Luciano joined him on the couch with Odysseus taking a seat too. “Virgil and Layla deserve a second chance too. Layla only became a fanatic because Ometechu kept targeting her, while Virgil allowed the Darkness to seduce him to madness.”

“Still. My drones are watching them at all times. And if they step one toe out of line, then they’re done for,” said William.

Odysseus nodded. “I’d be happy to help.”

Luciano shook his head. “My little chaos junkies. You’re always looking for trouble.”

“Yup!” William and Odysseus leaned in to kiss Luciano’s cheeks.

Luciano blushed. He went to the coffee table to grab the book and started to glance through it. “This is the one that Supria wrote, right? Anything useful in it?”

“Old theories, mostly,” said Odysseus. “But...it also tells stories of our past selves. It helps to sort some of these new memories. You should read it when you have the chance.”

“Yeah. Or maybe not.” Luciano closed the book. He left it on the table as he rested between them. “It’s good to learn from the past, but I think we’ve learned all that we can. It’s time for us to try new things.” His emerald-eyes twinkled as he could see hazy images of hope and doom, creation and catastrophe. “I have my eyes on the future.”

William chuckled as he rested his head on Luciano’s shoulder. Odysseus copied William’s gesture as their weight made Luciano slump into the couch. “The future?” asked William. “Well, Master of Masters, what do you see?”

Luciano held onto their hands and stared out the window. There he saw nothing but Light and Darkness as one. “I see. Potential.” 


End file.
